60 Years Later, Chagos Deal Nears Finalisation Amid Tensions

In the face of mounting scrutiny from the British press regarding compensation, Port-Louis has firmly reiterated, “We have said sovereignty is the most important matter.” Attorney General Gavin Glover, Senior Counsel for the Alliance of Change government, is currently in London for crucial discussions with British authorities concerning the finer points of the Chagos Deal. Amidst the pressure surrounding the agreed compensation for the lease of Diego Garcia, which houses a significant American military base, Port-Louis remains steadfast in its stance on sovereignty.

This was conveyed to Mauritian sources by authoritative figures at the Government House earlier this week.

Gavin Glover, speaking to the press in London, acknowledged the influential role of US President Donald Trump in facilitating these negotiations.

“They are saying this so that we react. We have said sovereignty is the most important matter,” asserted sources in Port-Louis, responding to ongoing speculation about Mauritius’s request for a revision of the compensation amount for the Diego Garcia lease.

While reiterating that Mauritius has already rejected two of the three legal options proposed by the British, these sources refrained from formally commenting on the Anglo-Mauritian discussions, which are poised for an official announcement regarding the bilateral treaty.

The return of Gavin Glover to Mauritius is anticipated with a degree of political anxiety within the Cabinet.

Reporting on a statement from the Attorney General, the British newspaper The Telegraph noted, “The talks over the agreement had entered their final phase and had been hastened along with the support of the US president.”

Glover further stated, “We are working on the finer details to complete the deal to which both the UK and Mauritius are committed. We are not going to have a running commentary on what is happening.

Suffice to say that the support from the Trump administration has helped along the process, which is nearing completion.”

In the same edition, The Telegraph suggested that “negotiators are battling over the details of Britain’s lease payments (higher lease payments for the base and additional development funding, beyond the reported £9 billion) already on the table for the Diego Garcia air base, which is on the largest of the Chagos Islands and is shared with the US.”

The Lead Negotiator for Mauritius, however, remained unfazed by speculation, promptly responding to The Telegraph, “The financial part is a secret until it is signed.”

As the formal announcement draws near, marking the end of 60 years of illegal occupation of a portion of the Republic of Mauritius—severed just before the nation’s independence—the most regressive elements of the former colonisers refuse to acknowledge the new reality, characterised by the conclusion of Mauritius’s decolonisation process.

In London, these factions believed they could count on support from hardliners in Washington.

In February, during his initial meeting with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Donald Trump dismissed objections from new Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz regarding China’s influence over the Chagos.

Trump’s declaration, “We’re going to have some discussions about that very soon, and I have a feeling it’s going to work out very well,” has left a bitter taste for some.

Although Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Reform Party, and Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition in the House of Commons, have since taken a backseat in the offensive against the Chagos Deal, political and diplomatic volleys continue to resonate systematically within the Commons.

Source: Le Mauricien