Overview

• The UK has ceded sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, marking the end of decades-long control over the territory since 1965.
• A High Court injunction temporarily blocked the signing early on May 22, but was overturned later that morning by Judge Martin Chamberlain.
• The agreement includes a 99-year leaseback of the strategic Diego Garcia military base, with annual payments of approximately £101 million by the UK.
• Critics have raised concerns about the deal’s financial burden, exclusion of Chagossians from negotiations, and potential for increased Chinese influence in the region.
• The treaty follows international legal rulings, including a 2019 ICJ advisory opinion, which deemed the UK’s administration of the islands unlawful.