Overview

• UN-appointed experts have called on the UK and Mauritius to suspend the treaty and negotiate a new agreement that fully guarantees Chagossians’ right to return, adequate reparations and cultural protections.
• The experts said the 99-year military lease of Diego Garcia and a proposed £40 million trust fund do not meet international standards for effective remedy or guarantee restitution and non-repetition.
• Conservative backbench MPs have tabled legislation to block ratification of the agreement, citing failures to protect rights and the long-term financial burden on taxpayers.
• The UK government maintains that the treaty is essential to secure the operation of the Diego Garcia base, with annual lease payments expected to exceed £120 million over the next century.
• Mauritius plans to channel hundreds of millions in UK payments into tax cuts for 81 percent of workers, higher minimum wages and a future fund to address national debt.