The British government has announced that it will be giving up sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a former colony, after years of pressure to do so. The remote Indian Ocean archipelago has been a source of controversy due to the strategic military base located on Diego Garcia island, which is vital for US operations in the Indian Ocean and Gulf.
Despite surrendering control of the islands to Mauritius, the UK will still maintain the military base, which it shares with the United States. This decision has been described as a “historic agreement” by US President Joe Biden.
The Chagos Islands have been at the center of a long-standing dispute between the UK and Mauritius, with the latter claiming that the islands were illegally detached from its territory in 1965, just three years before gaining independence. The UK’s decision to finally relinquish sovereignty comes after a ruling by the International Court of Justice in 2019 that found the detachment of the islands to be unlawful.
This move is likely to improve relations between the UK and Mauritius, as well as ease tensions regarding the Chagos Islands. However, the decision to maintain the military base on Diego Garcia island ensures that the strategic importance of the archipelago will continue to be a factor in international politics.
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Video “UK hands Chagos Islands to Mauritius but keeps key military base • FRANCE 24 English” was uploaded on 10/04/2024 to Youtube Channel FRANCE 24 English