Keir Starmer has put on hold the agreement to transfer the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius — BBC
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has decided to postpone the signing of an agreement to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago to the Republic of Mauritius.
This was reported by the BBC.
The reason for this move was the lack of official confirmation of the agreement’s approval by the United States, which is a critical condition for London’s next steps.
The Chagos Archipelago is of strategic importance, as the island of Diego Garcia is home to a joint British-U.S. military base.
This facility is a key asset for ensuring security in the Indian Ocean, so any changes to the territory’s status require careful coordination.
“Ensuring long-term operational security is and will remain our priority—this is the main reason for the agreement. We continue to believe that the agreement is the best way to safeguard the long-term future of the base, but we have always said that we will only extend the agreement with U.S. support. We continue to work with the U.S. and Mauritius,” a British government spokesperson stated.
Currently, British officials note that this does not mean a complete abandonment of the agreements, but the time to pass the necessary legislation during the current parliamentary session has run out.
It is expected that the relevant bill will not be included in the King’s speech at the opening of the next session in May.
The terms of the agreement stipulate that the United Kingdom will transfer to Mauritius the rights to the archipelago, which it has controlled since the early 19th century.
In return, the British side commits to paying an average of $136 million per year to lease the military base on Diego Garcia.
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