(AFP) – US President Donald Trump signaled to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday that he is willing to back the British deal to hand back the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Britain struck an agreement with Mauritius late last year to return the archipelago to its former colony and pay it to lease a key UK-US military base on Diego Garcia island.
The British government has said that Trump’s administration would have the final say on the agreement, and the deal would effectively be ditched without its approval. “We’re going to have some discussions about that very soon, and I have a feeling it’s going to work out very well,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he sat beside Starmer. “They’re talking about a very long-term, powerful lease, a very strong lease, about 140 years actually.”
That’s a long time, and I think we’ll be inclined to go along with your country. Britain kept control of the Chagos Islands after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s. The base is leased to the United States and has become one of its most strategic military facilities in the Asia-Pacific. Washington has used it as a hub for long-range bombers and ships, notably during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Britain evicted thousands of Chagos islanders who have since mounted a series of legal claims for compensation in British courts. In 2019, the International Court of Justice recommended that Britain hand the archipelago to Mauritius after decades of legal battles. Starmer says the ruling has put Britain’s ownership of the Chagos in doubt, and only a deal with Mauritius can guarantee that the base remains functional.
The deal, which Mauritius has since renegotiated under a new prime minister, would give Britain a 99-year lease of the base, with the option to extend. The UK government has not denied that the lease would cost the UK £90 million ($111 million) a year. Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has said his country would pursue its fight for full sovereignty over the islands if Washington refuses to support the deal.
© 2024 AFP
This is a huge step towards justice for the Chagos islanders! They deserve their home back after all these years. #JusticeForChagos
Yeah, it’s about time they got their rightful home back! The Chagos islanders have suffered so much because of this situation. I really hope the US supports the deal!
I don’t trust Trump with anything. Just sounds like another political maneuver to distract from other issues. What’s the catch here?
140 years is way too long for a lease! What if the circumstances change? We should be wary of such long commitments.
Isn’t this a violation of their rights? The Chagos Islanders were wronged, and giving the islands back to Mauritius is only right. #HumanRights
I completely agree! It’s about time the Chagos Islanders get their rights back. Those poor people were just thrown out of their homes. The UK needs to take responsibility for this injustice.
Lol, Trump talking about ‘strong’ leases sounds like a bad real estate deal. What’s really happening behind the scenes?
For real! Seems like Trump’s always trying to make a deal but who actually benefits? Seems a bit fishy to me!
hONESTLY, i dON’T cARE mUCH fOR pOLITICAL dRAMA. jUST gET iT sORTED aLREADY. pEOPLE hAVE sUFFERED eNOUGH oVER tHESE iSLANDS.
I totally get where you’re coming from! The people have been through too much already. Politics just seems to complicate everything instead of helping those affected. Let’s hope they figure it out soon!
Sounds like a typical politician move! Keep the base but pretend like they’re doing something noble. How about actually helping the people who lived there?
This is what you get when colonialism doesn’t get properly addressed. Should have been dealt with decades ago, now look at the mess we’re in!
Wait, I thought Mauritius already had the rights? Why is all of this still up in the air? I’m confused.