Mauritius Eyes Legal Action on UK Chagos Treaty Ratification

Mauritius is weighing legal action against the United Kingdom to compel ratification of a treaty transferring sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam announced Thursday, amid ongoing delays that have stalled the process since the agreement's signing last May.

The pact, finalized on May 22, 2025, would return control of the Indian Ocean island chain to Mauritius while allowing the UK to lease the strategically vital Diego Garcia atoll for 99 years to maintain a joint US-UK military base. Under the terms, the UK would pay Mauritius an annual fee of 101 million pounds, totaling an estimated 3.9 billion pounds over the lease period. Diego Garcia, which features a 12,000-foot runway, deepwater port and submarine facilities, serves as a key hub for US operations in the Middle East and Persian Gulf region. Ramgoolam told local media that his government is consulting international law firms to explore options, noting the delays have created uncertainty. "We are exploring legal avenues in the Chagos case," he said, adding that the holdup exacerbates a 10 billion Mauritian rupee shortfall in the national budget ahead of the 2026-2027 fiscal year.