An agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands from the United Kingdom back to Mauritius has been cleared by a British court, after being blocked by a last-minute injunction, prompted by a legal challenge from exiled islanders.
The UK-Mauritius deal to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands has been dramatically revived after a British court lifted an injunction that had threatened to derail the deal at the last minute.
The High Court had initially blocked the agreement just hours before it was due to be signed on Thursday morning, following a legal challenge from two British-Chagossian women representing the islands’ original residents.
But after a rapid follow-up hearing, Judge Martin Chamberlain ruled the injunction should be removed and “no further interim relief” granted – effectively clearing the path for the handover to proceed.
The UK is now set to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, which was separated from Mauritius in 1965 when the latter was still a British colony.
The landmark deal will see the UK retain control of the strategically important Diego Garcia military base under a 99-year lease agreement with the United States.
Forced displacement
The legal challenge was brought by two women representing the interests of the Chagossians – the original islanders who were forcibly removed in the 1960s and 70s to make way for the construction of the military base.
Around 2,000 people were displaced, many settling in the UK.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, Judge Julian Goose had ruled that the UK must maintain its jurisdiction over the British Indian Ocean Territory “until further order” with a follow-up hearing scheduled for later in the day.
That hearing saw Judge Chamberlain overturn the injunction.
Chagos Islands returned to Mauritius, but tensions over evictions persist
The move comes after months of diplomatic wrangling. The UK and Mauritius had reportedly finalised the draft deal in October, but progress stalled due to a change of government in Mauritius and disputes over financial terms.
Some reports have estimated the cost of the deal to the UK at £9 billion (€10.6 billion).
International backing
The deal has seen broad international backing. Both the previous and current US administrations have supported the arrangement, as have the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, which have consistently urged the UK to return the islands to Mauritius.
The deal also includes a proposed resettlement fund for displaced Chagossians, though details remain unclear.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had been expected to join a virtual signing ceremony alongside Mauritian officials on Thursday morning – an event that has yet to be rescheduled.
