Mauritius–United Kingdom relations

Mauritius–United Kingdom relations

Mauritius	United Kingdom

Mauritius–United Kingdom relations refer to the bilateral relations between Mauritius and the United Kingdom.

Chagos Islands Deal Timeline

1968

• 12 March - Mauritius gains independence, but the United Kingdom retains the Chagos Islands.

2019

• The International Court of Justice rules that the UK should return the Chagos islands, reinforcing Mauritius’ sovereignty claim.

2024

• 18 December - Mauritius’s newly elected Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam reopens talks with the UK, issuing counterproposals to the existing deal for Britain to transfer control of the islands. While the UK still intended to hand over the Chagos Islands, it sought to retain the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia for at least 99 years. The agreement has drawn mixed reactions, with then US President Joe Biden supporting it as “historic,” while critics, including allies of then US President-elect Donald Trump, opposing it.

2025

• 11 February - Negotiations for the Chagos intensify, with Mauritius seeking a final agreement, contingent on US security concerns over Diego Garcia, a key military base.
• 2 March 2025 - Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch reaffirms her party’s opposition to ceding the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, despite support from USA President Donald Trump. The deal, initiated under Conservative leadership in 2022 and announced by Labour in October, will transfer sovereignty while leasing back the Diego Garcia military base. Critics, including Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio, warn of security risks due to Mauritius' ties with China. Badenoch condemns the financial terms, claiming taxpayer money would fund the transfer.