UK Agrees to Return Chagos Islands to Mauritius After Long Dispute

The UK has reached an agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, ending a protracted dispute over its last African colony, The Guardian reported yesterday.

This decision follows 13 rounds of negotiations and international pressure. The agreement allows for the return of Chagossians, forcibly displaced in the 1960s and 1970s, although Diego Garcia, home to a crucial UK-US military base, will remain under British control.

Olivier Bancoult, chair of the Chagos Refugee Group, welcomed the news, calling it a significant step toward justice for Chagossians. However, opinions are mixed within the community, with some expressing concern over their exclusion from negotiations.

The UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, emphasized the deal’s importance for both nations, while US President Joe Biden praised it as a positive resolution to historical challenges. Human Rights Watch criticized the agreement for not ensuring full reparations or the right of return for all Chagossians.