Minister: Chagos deal to go ahead despite protests
The UK has signed a deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back a military base.
www.bbc.comHere are the latest developments on the Chagos Islands based on recent reporting.
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UK-Mauritius deal progress and parliamentary scrutiny: A UK-Mauritius agreement on sovereignty over the Chagos Islands has faced multiple parliamentary votes and debates in early 2026, with some defeats for the government in the House of Commons and ongoing discussions about the terms, including the future status of the US military base on Diego Garcia. This reflects continued political tension over decolonisation, sovereignty, and strategic interests.[6][8][9]
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UN and international reactions: The deal has drawn criticism from international bodies concerned about the rights of the Chagossian community, including calls to ensure their right to return and meaningful consultation. The UN has warned about potential violations of rights if resettlement and sovereignty moves are not properly inclusive of Chagossians.[2][3]
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Detailing the terms: The agreement reportedly envisages Mauritius gaining sovereignty over most of the Chagos Archipelago, while the UK would retain long-term lease and operational control of the Diego Garcia base, creating a complex sovereignty-and-access arrangement that continues to be debated by stakeholders on all sides.[3][5][8]
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Local and human-rights context: Chagossian communities remain concerned about displacement history and the possibility of return, with activists and representatives urging transparency and a path toward reconciliation and resettlement options that respect their rights and cultural ties to the islands.[4][10][2]
If you’d like, I can:
- Produce a concise timeline of the key events from 2024–2026.
- summarize the main positions of the UK, Mauritius, and Chagossian advocates.
- pull a brief set of verified quotes from the latest public statements (with sources).