U.N. Panel Urges UK and Mauritius to Pause Chagos Treaty Ratification

Overview

• CERD issued an early-warning decision on Dec. 8 calling for suspension of ratification and renewed negotiations with Chagossians that guarantee full reparations.
• The treaty would transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius while leasing Diego Garcia to the UK for 99 years with a possible 40-year extension to maintain the UK–US base.
• The committee says the deal explicitly prevents return to Diego Garcia, restricts cultural rights, and lacks formal acknowledgment of past injustices or full remedies.
• Ratification is still pending as the UK government defends the agreement, pointing to potential resettlement on other islands and support for heritage visits, including to Diego Garcia.
• The intervention builds on the ICJ’s 2019 opinion and has intensified political criticism in Britain, with Conservative figures attacking the proposed transfer of control and reported costs.