The UK is set to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining long-term control over the Diego Garcia military base under a 99-year lease. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritian officials are expected to formalize the deal in a virtual ceremony this week.
The United Kingdom is poised to sign a landmark agreement transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while securing long-term control over the strategic Diego Garcia military base, according to multiple media reports.
Under the terms of the deal, first outlined in October 2024, the UK will retain operational control of the base on Diego Garcia—the largest island in the Indian Ocean archipelago—under a 99-year lease. The base is jointly operated with the United States and serves as a key strategic asset for both nations.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to take part in a virtual signing ceremony alongside representatives from the Mauritian government, The Telegraph reported on Thursday.
The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965, just three years before Mauritius gained independence from Britain. The islands were subsequently designated as the British Indian Ocean Territory, a move that has remained a source of international controversy and legal disputes for decades.
Financial terms of the new agreement have not been officially disclosed, but UK media outlets have estimated the total cost of the arrangement to be around £9 billion, including long-term lease payments and development aid to Mauritius.
The agreement has received bipartisan support in Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office in November 2024, expressed his backing for the deal during a February meeting with Prime Minister Starmer. Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, had also supported the agreement during his term.
The deal is seen as a step toward resolving a long-standing colonial grievance while ensuring the continuation of one of the most important military installations in the Indian Ocean.
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Israel has allowed limited humanitarian aid into Gaza for the first time since it imposed a near-total blockade in March, enabling some bakeries to resume bread production and delivering baby food and medical supplies to the war-torn enclave.
The Kremlin, asked on Thursday about a planned prisoner of war swap with Ukraine of 1,000 captives each, said that work was underway, and that each side wants to complete the exchange as quickly as possible.
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A British High Court has halted the UK’s planned transfer of sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius just hours before the landmark agreement was due to be signed, following a legal intervention by displaced islanders.
Israel has allowed limited humanitarian aid into Gaza for the first time since it imposed a near-total blockade in March, enabling some bakeries to resume bread production and delivering baby food and medical supplies to the war-torn enclave.
The Kremlin, asked on Thursday about a planned prisoner of war swap with Ukraine of 1,000 captives each, said that work was underway, and that each side wants to complete the exchange as quickly as possible.
Two people have died and two more are missing following devastating floods in New South Wales (NSW), which have triggered evacuation warnings for over 50,000 residents.
Israel has allowed limited humanitarian aid into Gaza for the first time since it imposed a near-total blockade in March, enabling some bakeries to resume bread production and delivering baby food and medical supplies to the war-torn enclave.
The Kremlin, asked on Thursday about a planned prisoner of war swap with Ukraine of 1,000 captives each, said that work was underway, and that each side wants to complete the exchange as quickly as possible.
Two people have died and two more are missing following devastating floods in New South Wales (NSW), which have triggered evacuation warnings for over 50,000 residents.
The 38 year old had been the favourite to win at the polls, but unexpectedly lost to pro-Western candidate Nicusor Dan.
Polish authorities are investigating whether explosive devices were planted near a critical undersea power cable linking Poland and Sweden, following suspicious activity by a Russian “shadow fleet” vessel in the area, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday.
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