Overview

• The UK agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining control of Diego Garcia under a 99-year lease for military operations.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed the sovereignty transfer agreement on May 22, 2025, marking a key step in resolving the decades-long dispute.
• A British court issued an injunction halting the handover, citing legal challenges and claims that the process excluded the displaced Chagossian community.
• The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965, and up to 2,000 inhabitants were forcibly removed in the 1960s and 1970s to facilitate the construction of a US military base.
• Critics argue the transfer agreement perpetuates historical injustices against the Chagossians, whose rights and input were reportedly overlooked.