Chagos Islands Deal Set for Finalization This Week Following Trump’s Nod

The United Kingdom and Mauritius will this week complete the Chagos Islands agreement after US President Donald Trump reportedly gave it his nod. The agreement, in which the UK will cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while it maintains a 99-year lease on the UK-US military base at Diego Garcia, has received mixed responses, especially in the UK.

In a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the White House last week, Trump indicated his endorsement of the agreement, declaring that it “doesn’t look bad.” However, controversy persists in the UK, where the Conservative Party has opposed the deal strongly, describing it as a strategic error and financial misstep.

Mauritius Awaits Formal Approval

As reported by The Daily Telegraph, in the wake of Trump’s statement, the UK government plans to sign off on the deal and pass it to Mauritius to seal it as soon as Tuesday. A senior official who was close to the negotiations explained, “Tuesday is D-day,” that is, Mauritius is holding out for word from the UK before taking the final accord to its cabinet for ratification.

Although Trump had indicated his support for the agreement, the formal approval has yet to come. The UK shares the Diego Garcia base with the United States, and the former Biden administration had given the agreement the nod in principle. However, Trump was left with the decision after the new government of Mauritius reopened negotiations.

Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam had the following to say about the situation, “It seems positive. We will wait and see what the final proposals are.”

Strategic and Financial Concerns in the UK

The Starmer administration has defended the agreement as a means to ensure control over the Diego Garcia base, particularly after a negative ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Critics, however, contend that the agreement undermines UK interests and is unnecessary in terms of financial costs.

Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch has made a strong critical statement, arguing that the deal is a “surrender” no matter if it receives Trump’s sanction. “It is not our national interest to sell off the Chagos Islands and pay a fee for privilege. That money is taxpayers,” she said in an interview to the BBC.

The financial repercussions of the agreement have also become a source of concern. Early reports estimated that the UK was to pay £90 million yearly for Diego Garcia’s lease for a period totaling approximately £9 billion. This has since changed, as it is claimed Mauritius renegotiated the lease in terms now that it will get up to £800 million annually, alongside inflation-related hikes and compensation for historic occupation. All these are liable to dramatically enhance the overall sum, raising alarms among economists as well as politicians.

Anxiety Over Indo-Pacific Security

Aside from monetary factors, the Chagos Islands are strategically valuable in the Indo-Pacific. Commentators contend that ceding sovereignty over the islands may undermine security interests, specifically in resisting Chinese influence.

Dame Priti Patel, Shadow Foreign Secretary, has called the agreement “economically illiterate,” condemning the government for secretive negotiations. “When public expenditure is under severe strain, they are also committing to spend billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money renting back a location that is already under our control. And to rub salt in the wound, they are doing it all behind closed doors,” she said.

Mauritius’s growing autonomy in the Chagos Islands has sparked concerns that it will enable China to establish itself in the region, threatening the security of the UK-US base on Diego Garcia. As geopolitics becomes increasingly tense, especially in the Indo-Pacific, others believe that firm control over key locations must remain a priority.

What’s Next?

Having Trump’s support on board, the British government now should proceed with the agreement. If ratified, the pact will be tabled in Mauritius for finalization. While Starmer’s government perceives this as a pragmatic step to maintain continued dominance over Diego Garcia, opposition camps continue to stand firm in their opposition, threatening long-term strategic and financial costs.

As talks persist, the attention now turns to whether Trump will give the formal go-ahead for the deal to go through. With Tuesday looming as the make-or-break day, everyone continues to watch with bated breath the final details and their meaning for UK sovereignty, financial pledges, and world security.