U k to hand sovereignty of chagos islands to mauritius
Britain signed an agreement on Thursday handing sovereignty over the contested and strategically located Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a move the government says ensures the future of a U.S.-U.K. military base that is vital to British security.The Indian Ocean archipelago is home to a strategically important naval and bomber base on the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia. Under the deal, the U.K. will pay Mauritius £101 million ($136 million) per year to lease back the base for at least 99 years.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that base, operated by U.S. forces, is crucial for British counterterrorism and intelligence and is ‘right at the foundation of our safety and security at home.’
The signing was delayed for several hours after a U.K. judge imposed a last-minute injunction blocking the transfer. That was later lifted by another judge.
The judge granted an injunction in the early hours of Thursday, blocking the British government from taking any ‘conclusive or legally binding step’ to hand the islands to a foreign government.
The injunction came in response to a claim by two Chagossian women representing the islands' original residents, who were evicted decades ago to make way for the American base. Both are British citizens who fear it will become even harder to return to their birthplace once Mauritius takes control of the islands.
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