- The recent agreement between the UK and Mauritius allows Mauritius to implement a resettlement program on Chagos (except Diego Garcia).
- The Chagos Archipelago comprises 58 islands located approximately 500 km south of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.
- Originally uninhabited, the islands were populated in the late 18th century by slave labor brought by the French for coconut plantations.
- In 1814, the Chagos Islands were ceded by France to Britain.
- In 1965, the UK established the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), with Chagos as a central part.
- When Mauritius gained independence in 1968, Chagos remained under British control
- Diego Garcia, the largest island in Chagos, was leased to the U.S. in 1966 for defense purposes, becoming a fully operational military base by 1986.
- International Court of Justice (ICJ) supported Mauritius’ sovereignty over the Chagos islands.
- Diego Garcia remains under UK control for 99 years, continuing to serve as a U.S.-UK military base critical for regional security.
Dig Deeper: Nine Dash Line and Islands around it
