UK Puts Chagos Islands Deal on Hold Amid Lack of US Support

LONDON — The United Kingdom has put its agreement with Mauritius over the Chagos Islands under review after US President Donald Trump reiterated his opposition to the deal, with Defence Secretary Wes Streeting saying the arrangement cannot proceed without American support.

Streeting said annual payments to Mauritius under the proposed agreement would remain on hold while Britain works with the United States and Mauritius to address Washington’s concerns. The payments were due to begin under a long-term arrangement linked to continued British and US access to the military base on Diego Garcia.

Under the agreement signed by the UK and Mauritius in 2025, Mauritius would gain sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, while Britain would retain rights to operate the joint UK-US military facility on Diego Garcia under a 99-year arrangement. Mauritius was due to receive £165 million annually during the first three years, followed by £120 million a year from the fourth year.

Streeting said the current version of the agreement requires further work to secure the support of the US administration. He said the UK’s priority was to safeguard the long-term operation of Diego Garcia, which he described as important to British and US national security.

The development follows Trump’s meeting with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. Trump said he did not support the Chagos agreement and described it as a “terrible deal.” Burnham subsequently said the British government would work to find a resolution acceptable to the parties involved.

The British government has previously maintained that US support is necessary before the treaty can be ratified. In a written parliamentary response earlier this month, the government said it had worked closely with Washington in developing the agreement and would continue discussions with both the United States and Mauritius.

The future of Diego Garcia is central to the dispute. The strategically located island hosts a joint UK-US military base that Britain considers important to its national security and wider allied defence arrangements. The UK government has argued that resolving the sovereignty issue would provide greater long-term certainty for the base.

Streeting said Britain would continue working with the Trump administration rather than waiting for the disagreement to resolve itself. He acknowledged that reaching a revised arrangement would require detailed negotiations involving the UK, the United States and Mauritius.

The Chagos Islands dispute has wider historical and legal dimensions. Britain separated the archipelago from Mauritius in 1965, before Mauritius gained independence, while the Chagossian population was subsequently removed from the islands to facilitate the development of the Diego Garcia base. The International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion in 2019 concerning the UK’s administration of the territory.

The UK’s review leaves the future of the 2025 agreement uncertain as negotiations continue over the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago and the long-term status of the Diego Garcia military facility.