Agreement on the Chagos Archipelago

Our report draws some specific conclusions about the Agreement and makes a number of recommendations. These conclusions and recommendations are set out in paragraphs 33, 39, 46, 49, 51, 55, and 57 above.

In summary, our view of the Agreement is the following.

The Base on Diego Garcia is a vital UK national asset and we agree with the Government that securing its long-term effective operation is critical. The Government is confident that the Defence and Security rights conferred by the Agreement with Mauritius achieve that objective and we have not heard any substantial disagreement with that proposition - at least for so long as the Agreement remains in force. The fact that the US Government supports the Agreement is significant.

Like all treaties, the Agreement reflects a compromise between the views of the two Parties. It is not perfect. The cost to the UK taxpayer is high. The Agreement does not guarantee that Chagossians can return to the islands. There are some uncertainties around the future of the marine protected area. There is no guarantee of an extension to the Agreement after the initial 99-year period and questions have been raised about the enforceability of the right of first refusal.

Nevertheless, it is clear that if the Agreement is not ratified, and if a future Government attempted to go on resisting international pressure to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, Mauritius is likely to resume its campaign through international courts with a view to obtaining a legally binding judgment on sovereignty against the UK. We heard that there are ways in which Mauritius could bring that issue before an international court. We also heard that any international court looking at this issue would be unlikely to find in favour of the UK. In that circumstance, the future of the Base on Diego Garcia would be at greater risk.

We report the Agreement to the House for special attention and debate. < Back Next > © Parliamentary copyright 2025 A-Z index Glossary Contact us Freedom of Information Jobs Using this website Copyright Privacy notice Cookie policy Cookie Manager House of Lords - UK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia - International Agreements Committee Accessibility Email alerts RSS feeds Contact us Home Parliamentary business MPs, Lords & offices About Parliament Get involved Visiting Education House of Commons House of Lords What's on Bills & legislation Committees Publications & records Parliament TV News Topics UK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia Contents < Back Next > © Parliamentary copyright 2024 A-Z index Glossary Contact us Freedom of Information Jobs Using this website Copyright Privacy notice Cookie policy Cookie Manager House of Lords - UK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia - International Agreements Committee Accessibility Email alerts RSS feeds Contact us Home Parliamentary business MPs, Lords & offices About Parliament Get involved Visiting Education House of Commons House of Lords What's on Bills & legislation Committees Publications & records Parliament TV News Topics UK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia Contents