Mauritius Rejects UK Chagos Islands Deal, Seeks Renegotiation

Mauritius' new government demands changes to the agreement over sovereignty and compensation, with weeks left to finalize the deal before Donald Trump's inauguration.

Mauritius' Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam has rejected the October deal negotiated by the previous Mauritian administration, citing dissatisfaction with key terms.
The agreement involves the UK ceding sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining a 99-year lease for the Diego Garcia military base, a critical UK-US strategic asset.
Mauritius is pushing for increased compensation and adjustments to the lease terms, with the deputy prime minister criticizing the UK's approach to negotiations as overly focused on minor financial details.
The Biden administration has supported the deal, but incoming US President Donald Trump and his allies have expressed strong opposition, citing national security concerns and Mauritius' ties to China.
With less than a month before Trump assumes office, UK and US officials are engaged in urgent diplomatic efforts to salvage the agreement, but Mauritius has submitted a counter-proposal for consideration.