Chagos Islands | Deal in deep water

The United Kingdom is currently advancing a draft legislation aimed at transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a move that has been long sought by the Mauritian government. This legislative progress comes amid political tensions, as former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly criticized the deal. The Chagos Islands, strategically located in the Indian Ocean, have been a point of contention for decades, primarily due to the establishment of the United States military base on Diego Garcia, one of the islands. The sovereignty dispute has roots in the colonial history of the region, with Mauritius officially claiming the islands after gaining independence from British rule in 1968. The U.K. has faced increasing international pressure to resolve the issue and return the islands, which were forcibly depopulated in the 1960s to facilitate the establishment of the military base. As the bill proceeds through Parliament, it underscores a significant shift in UK-Mauritius relations and the broader implications for international law and colonial legacies in the region.