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3mo ago

UK's Chagos Islands Handover to Mauritius Faces Widespread Criticism

Keir Starmer's government defends the deal as necessary for national security, but critics cite geopolitical risks, financial costs, and sidelining of Chagossians.

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'At PMQs, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage attacked the PM after Mauritius said the UK had agreed to change the payment terms in its Chagos Islands handover deal' (Photo: House of Commons/AFP)
Only a few Chagossians remember their early lives on the islands
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Overview

  • The UK plans to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back the Diego Garcia military base for 99 years, citing legal uncertainties as a threat to national security.
  • Critics, including opposition Conservatives and U.S. officials, warn the deal could empower China's influence in the region and compromise the strategic value of the base.
  • Chagossians, forcibly displaced decades ago, feel excluded from negotiations and demand self-determination, citing mistrust of both the UK and Mauritian governments.
  • The financial terms of the deal, reportedly costing billions of pounds, have sparked domestic backlash as public spending cuts loom in the UK.
  • The agreement, initially supported by the Biden administration, awaits approval from Donald Trump's government, with concerns about its implications for U.S. military operations.