Jerusalem: The Maldives has officially expressed its opposition to a recent agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius concerning the sovereignty transfer of the Chagos Islands. The Maldives government has taken a firm stance against the decision, which aims to shift control of the islands from the UK to Mauritius.
According to Anadolu Agency, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu informed the parliament that his government had formally lodged objections with the UK on November 8, 2024, and January 18, 2026. The objections highlighted the Maldives' disapproval of the decision. Further, during a phone call on December 15 with British Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, President Muizzu emphasized the need for further consultations regarding the issue.
The Maldives government has initiated legal proceedings to reclaim maritime territory lost as a result of a ruling by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Additionally, President Muizzu announced the retraction of a letter previously sent by former Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, which had acknowledged Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Islands on August 22, 2022.
The ongoing situation has been further complicated by tensions between the US and the UK. The parliamentary debates in the UK over the agreement to transfer control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius were postponed last month after US President Donald Trump criticized the deal, labeling it "an act of great stupidity."
The agreement, signed last May by the UK and Mauritius, proposes to end over two centuries of British rule over the Chagos Islands. In exchange, the UK and the US have been granted permission to continue operating the crucial Diego Garcia military base for the next 99 years. However, the agreement has yet to take effect as it awaits ratification within the respective domestic processes.
The Chagos Archipelago, consisting of seven atolls and over 60 islands, is strategically located in the central Indian Ocean, approximately 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of the Maldives.