Where are the Chagos Islands and why are they so important?
- The Chagos Islands, which are situated in the Indian Ocean, have been under British control since 1814, with the UK separating them from Mauritius in 1965 and evicting up to 2,000 inhabitants to establish the US military base.
- The British government transferred sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
- The deal, signed in May between the UK and Mauritius, stipulates that the UK will lease back Diego Garcia, home to a crucial US military base, for at least 99 years.
- Approximately 10,000 displaced Chagossians and their descendants, now residing primarily in Britain, Mauritius, and the Seychelles, have long sought the right to return to their homeland. The agreement includes provisions for a resettlement fund to assist displaced islanders in returning to the Chagos Islands, excluding the Diego Garcia atoll.
- US President Donald Trump criticised the deal, saying Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had made a "big mistake" and that Britain should not lose control of Diego Garcia.
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