Mauritius vows to pursue Chagos sovereignty after UK deal collapses

Mauritius has pledged to “spare no effort” to reclaim control of the Chagos Islands after a proposed handover deal by Keir Starmer collapsed amid shifting U.S. support.

Speaking at a regional conference, Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful said his country would pursue “every diplomatic and legal avenue” to complete what it calls the decolonisation process. “This is a matter of justice,” he added.

Deal derailed by U.S. shift

The agreement would have transferred sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius while preserving the strategic Diego Garcia base under a 99-year lease.

But support from Donald Trump wavered, ultimately forcing London to withdraw the legislation.

Political backlash in Britain

UK opposition figures, including Kemi Badenoch, welcomed the collapse, criticizing the proposed £35 billion arrangement.

Others called for an inquiry into the handling of the negotiations.

Strategic and legal stakes

London maintains the deal remains the best option to secure the base’s future but admits it cannot proceed without Washington.

A 2019 ruling by the International Court of Justice supported Mauritius’ sovereignty claim, keeping pressure on the UK as talks continue.