Explainer: Everything You Need to Know About the UK-Chagos Sovereignty Deal

Britain and Mauritius have signed a pivotal agreement transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius—while retaining Diego Garcia under a £101 million-per-year lease for US military use over 99 years.

The archipelago, split from Mauritius in 1965 with the forced eviction of around 2,000 islanders, has long been contested by displaced Chagossians and condemned by the UN and ICJ.

Pending UK Parliamentary ratification, the treaty includes a promised resettlement fund for Chagossians, though its specifics remain to be finalized, and lays a foundation for Mauritius to assume full civil governance and sustainable development.