On Thursday 3 October 2024, the Prime Ministers of Mauritius and the United Kingdom jointly announced that they have reached an historic agreement. By way of a treaty, to be finalised and completed as quickly as possible, it is agreed that Mauritius is sovereign over the whole of the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia. The Prime Ministers jointly stated that:
“Following two years of negotiation, this is a seminal moment in our relationship and a demonstration of our enduring commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the rule of law. Negotiations have been conducted in a constructive and respectful manner, as equal sovereign States, on the basis of international law, and with the intention of resolving all outstanding issues between the United Kingdom and Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago, including those relating to its former inhabitants.”
The Prime Ministers’ joint statement can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-between-uk-and-mauritius-3-october-2024
The announcement was welcomed by US President Joe Biden and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Professor Philippe Sands KC, Paul Reichler and Remi Reichhold represented and advised Mauritius throughout the negotiations, and have acted for Mauritius for more than a decade, including in three cases before international tribunals which led to this agreement: (1) the Chagos Marine Protected Area Arbitration (Mauritius v United Kingdom) before an arbitral tribunal constituted under Annex VII of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea; (2) the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on the Legal Consequences of the Separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965; and (3) the Dispute concerning the delimitation of the maritime boundary between Mauritius and Maldives before a Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
