The president of the Maldives has formally told the UK that it does not recognise the deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. President Mohamed Muizzu's office informed the BBC that the Maldives had expressed its opposition to the deeply concerning deal in two written objections and a phone call with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy. The nation of tropical islands in the Indian Ocean is asserting sovereignty over the Chagos Islands and is threatening international legal action to press its claim.
UK Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty argued that the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands is a matter for Britain and Mauritius alone, not the Maldives. However, a government source emphasized that international courts had already considered sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, ruling in favour of Mauritius.
Historically known as the British Indian Ocean Territory, the Chagos Islands have been under UK control since the early 19th Century. The UK government agreed last year to transfer control of the territory to Mauritius, while still paying an average cost of £101 million a year to lease a UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island.
Mauritius has long claimed the islands and has sought international legal recourse to solidify its claim. Meanwhile, UK Labour ministers have argued that failure to finalize the agreement could jeopardize future military operations. Notably, the deal has not yet received confirmation in UK law and appears to be indefinitely on hold, particularly after comments from US officials, including former President Trump, advising the UK against transferring the territory.
The Maldives maintains that it has historical claims to the Chagos Islands, a position reiterated in their diplomatic communications with the UK. In a statement, Muizzu's office articulated that the British government proceeded with its decision without due regard for Maldivian interests, leading to the Maldives' formal rejection of the transfer to Mauritius.
With potential legal action looming, the situation remains complex, particularly given a recent ruling by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea that bolstered Mauritius's claims. The Maldives believes its geographical and historical closer ties entitle it to sovereignty over the archipelago and is reviewing legal options to assert these claims at international courts.
Both countries are expected to continue navigating this sensitive issue, with the Maldives pushing for meaningful dialogue over the Chagos Islands in the spirit of mutual respect and historical accuracy.
UK Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty argued that the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands is a matter for Britain and Mauritius alone, not the Maldives. However, a government source emphasized that international courts had already considered sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, ruling in favour of Mauritius.
Historically known as the British Indian Ocean Territory, the Chagos Islands have been under UK control since the early 19th Century. The UK government agreed last year to transfer control of the territory to Mauritius, while still paying an average cost of £101 million a year to lease a UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island.
Mauritius has long claimed the islands and has sought international legal recourse to solidify its claim. Meanwhile, UK Labour ministers have argued that failure to finalize the agreement could jeopardize future military operations. Notably, the deal has not yet received confirmation in UK law and appears to be indefinitely on hold, particularly after comments from US officials, including former President Trump, advising the UK against transferring the territory.
The Maldives maintains that it has historical claims to the Chagos Islands, a position reiterated in their diplomatic communications with the UK. In a statement, Muizzu's office articulated that the British government proceeded with its decision without due regard for Maldivian interests, leading to the Maldives' formal rejection of the transfer to Mauritius.
With potential legal action looming, the situation remains complex, particularly given a recent ruling by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea that bolstered Mauritius's claims. The Maldives believes its geographical and historical closer ties entitle it to sovereignty over the archipelago and is reviewing legal options to assert these claims at international courts.
Both countries are expected to continue navigating this sensitive issue, with the Maldives pushing for meaningful dialogue over the Chagos Islands in the spirit of mutual respect and historical accuracy.
