United Kingdom returns Chacos archipelago to Mauritius but maintains military base

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Both countries announced this Thursday (3) that the United Kingdom will return the Chacos archipelago in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, following a “historic deal” that will allow Britain to maintain a joint military base with the United States.

The agreement, signed by US President Joe Biden, guarantees the permanence of the joint military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the 55 islands, “a strategic location that plays a fundamental role in regional and global security”, according to the UK Foreign Office.

“The status of the base is indisputable and legally secure. This agreement underpins the United Kingdom’s firm commitment to maintain security in the area without changes to the operation of the military base in an increasingly volatile world,” the British Foreign Office added. .

Biden praised the agreement, which began negotiations in early 2023, and the maintenance of the military base.

“I welcome the historic agreement,” the Democrats said in a statement, endorsing the terms used by the British government that the joint military installation “plays a vital role in national, regional and global security”.

In 2016, the United Kingdom extended its lease to the United States until 2036.

– Excitement in Mauritius –

“October 3, 2024. An unforgettable day, a day to celebrate the full sovereignty of the entire territory of the Republic of Mauritius,” the African country’s foreign minister Manish Gobin commented on social networking site X.

Under the agreement, the United Kingdom will continue the rights to Diego Garcia for an “initial period of 99 years” to guarantee the operation of the military base “well into the next century”.

A group of islands 1,000 kilometers east of Madagascar, the Republic of Mauritius has claimed the archipelago since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1968.

Since 1965, it has been administered by the United Kingdom, which established a joint military base with the United States on the main island.

To establish the facility, the United Kingdom deported about 2,000 Chacos residents to Mauritius, who accused the British authorities of “illegal occupation”.

The agreement would pave the way for the return of Chacos natives, with the exception of Diego Garcia, “by implementing a resettlement program on the islands.”

“After two years of negotiations, this is a landmark moment in our relations and a demonstration of our enduring commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the rule of law,” the UK and Mauritius said in a joint statement.