Britain announced its decision to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius on Thursday, October 3, which it has controlled since 1814.
As per Reuters, this allows people who were displaced decades ago to return, while still allowing access to the important UK-US military base on Diego Garcia.
The agreement ensures that the operation of Diego Garcia, a key airbase in the Indian Ocean jointly run with the United States, will continue.
It also permits Mauritius to resettle the rest of the islands after their original population was displaced.
US President Joe Biden praised the deal in a statement, saying, “Diego Garcia is the site of a joint US-UK military facility that plays a vital role in national, regional, and global security.”
Meanwhile, British Foreign Minister David Lammy also released a statement, noting, “Today’s agreement secures this vital military base for the future. It will strengthen our role in safeguarding global security.”
According to the agreement, Britain will retain sovereign rights over Diego Garcia to ensure the base’s operation for an initial period of 99 years.
