Mauritius suggests financial disagreement is stalling Chagos Islands negotiations

The Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius has indicated that discussions with the United Kingdom regarding the future of the Chagos Islands are experiencing delays due to financial considerations. The initial agreement, unveiled in October, stipulated that the UK would transfer sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius while retaining a 99-year lease on Diego Garcia, which hosts a significant UK-US military airbase. This arrangement included a commitment from the UK to offer a financial support package to Mauritius, encompassing annual payments and investments in infrastructure; however, the specific monetary value has not been disclosed by either party. Nevertheless, a new government in Mauritius, which came into power after the initial agreement was reached, has expressed a desire for modifications to the terms. The proposed accord has also drawn criticism within the UK, with the opposition Conservative party labeling it a “monumental failure of statecraft”. Upon the public announcement of the agreement following years of discussions, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the then-Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth characterized it as a “seminal moment in our relationship and a demonstration of our enduring commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the rule of law”. The objective of the agreement was to resolve decades of ambiguity and contention concerning the islands’ status. In a joint statement released on Friday, the UK and Mauritius affirmed their commitment “to finalising a treaty as quickly as possible” that would encompass both the “secure and effective operation of the existing base on Diego Garcia and that Mauritius is sovereign over the archipelago”. They further stated that “ongoing conversations” were proving productive. The new Mauritian government, which secured a landslide victory last month, has not publicly articulated the precise nature of its concerns regarding the deal. However, while addressing his constituents on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Paul Bérenger discussed the financial aspect of the matter. He stated, “This base existed on our land, on our territory… but not only it is [about] our sovereignty. There are some things you can’t accept if you’re a true patriot. They are trying to make us sign and they are quibbling on a small amount.” In a parliamentary address last week concerning the negotiations, Bérenger acknowledged that Mauritius requires “money to get out of the economic mess the previous government got us into, but not at any price, not under any conditions”. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam informed MPs on Friday that the UK was eager to finalize the agreement “before [Donald] Trump swears in as president on 20 January”. Marco Rubio, who is Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, has characterized the deal as a risk to US security. Last week, in the UK’s House of Commons, Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel alleged that the Labour government was jeopardizing the UK’s national security, disregarding the interests of Chagossians, and “letting our standing go into freefall” in an increasingly perilous global environment. She posed the question, “How much is the British taxpayer going to be liable for each year, and in total, over 99 years?” Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty, however, maintained that the deal would bolster, rather than compromise, UK security, asserting that it would safeguard the military base’s operations and guarantee its placement “on a safe footing well into the next century”. Over recent years, the UK has encountered increasing diplomatic isolation concerning its claim to what it designates as the British Indian Ocean Territory, as various United Nations bodies—including its highest court and general assembly—have predominantly supported Mauritius and called for the UK to relinquish what some have termed its “last colony in Africa”. The Mauritian government has consistently contended that it was unlawfully compelled to cede the Chagos Islands in exchange for its independence from the UK in 1968. Until recently, the UK had maintained that Mauritius possessed no legitimate claim to the islands.