Mauritius and the United Kingdom are in talks over the long-disputed Chagos Archipelago, with Mauritius’ new government pushing for a deal to regain sovereignty over the territory.
Mauritius’ Foreign Minister, Dhananjay Ramful, told PTI Videos that the government aims for a final agreement that benefits all parties, including India and the US.
“It’s in the interest of both countries, be it India, Mauritius and also the UK and the US, for us to reach a deal on Chagos once for all. Bring stability, bring visibility, bring certainty with regards to the base, which is being operational at Diego Garcia,” Ramful said.
The deal in question is initially being negotiated just before Mauritius’ general elections in November 2024. However, with a new government now in power, Ramful noted that the administration is keen to reassess the terms.
“We have the struggle to restore our sovereignty over Chagos is long virtue,” Ramful said, reflecting on the historical context of the dispute. “It’s good that the UK has decided to come to the table and reach a deal with Mauritius.”
“Unfortunately, the deal was being negotiated just before the elections. Now we have a new government since November and we said that we want to have a fresh look at the deal. And this is what is going on currently,” he explained.
Ramful underlined that the negotiations involves ensuring stability and security in the Indian Ocean region, particularly concerning the continued operation of the Diego Garcia military base.
The Chagos Archipelago, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, has been a point of contention since the UK retained control of it following Mauritius’ independence in 1968. The UK later leased the largest island, Diego Garcia, to the United States, which established a strategic military base there.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/world/mauritius-seeks-to-revise-chagos-deal-with-uk-in-shared-interest-with-india-foreign-minister-13870482.html.
