A treaty concerning the transfer of sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has become “impossible to reach at the political level,” according to a minister from the Foreign Office, leading to the abandonment of the related bill in parliament.
Stephen Doughty informed the House of Commons that the initial negotiations with Mauritius were conducted in close partnership with the United States; however, he noted that Donald Trump’s stance on the matter seems to have shifted.
The UK government was compelled to halt its legislative efforts to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius following the withdrawal of US backing for the agreement.
The proposed arrangement included the UK relinquishing sovereignty of the Chagos Islands while leasing Diego Garcia, which houses a joint military base operated by the UK and US, for a term of 99 years to ensure ongoing operations.
Doughty remarked that Trump had previously characterized the treaty as “very strong and powerful,” emphasizing that it had undergone extensive scrutiny across various levels of the US government under two different administrations and was deemed solid.
However, with the US retracting its support, he stated that reaching an updated agreement to the 1966 UK-US “exchange of notes,” which pertains to the defense use of British Indian Ocean territories, had become unfeasible.
He explained to Members of Parliament that revising the 1966 agreement was essential for the ratification of the treaty, meaning that “the Diego Garcia bill cannot proceed through this session of parliament and cannot be carried over due to its advanced state in the legislative process.”
Doughty expressed confidence that the Diego Garcia treaty remains the most effective way to secure the continued operation of the military base for future generations, benefiting both the UK and its allies.
This setback in the UK’s efforts to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius reflects deteriorating relations between the US and UK, particularly following Trump’s sharp criticism of Labour leader Keir Starmer regarding his views on the Iran conflict.
Doughty acknowledged that the postponement of the treaty would be disappointing for many Chagossians, though he recognized that not everyone shares this sentiment, as they see it as the only feasible route to a sustainable resettlement program that Mauritius could implement under the agreement’s terms.
