The Prime Minister of Mauritius, Navin Ramgoolam, has called a special cabinet meeting for Wednesday as negotiations over the controversial Chagos Islands deal near completion. This comes amid reports that UK Labour leader Keir Starmer is rushing to finalize the agreement before Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States on January 20.
Trump has expressed opposition to the Biden administration’s stance on the Chagos Islands, which are claimed by both Mauritius and the UK, and has signaled he would veto any handover once in office.
Mauritius government sources indicate the deal is close to being finalized, with one official confirming that they plan to reach an agreement before Trump takes office. The deal follows years of talks sparked by a 2019 International Court of Justice ruling, which affirmed that the islands belonged to Mauritius. Despite this, the UK has resisted the ruling, with former Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron halting negotiations.
Critics of the deal, including some within the UK and Trump’s advisors, have raised concerns about the future of the Diego Garcia military base on the islands, a critical site for U.S. military operations, and the potential for Mauritius to lease nearby islands to China. Additionally, concerns about the financial aspects of the deal have arisen following the change in leadership in Mauritius last year.
In the UK, Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Starmer maintain that the deal, which would secure the base’s use for at least 99 years, is a necessary step, despite internal opposition.