Select committee: International Agreements Committee
Conclusion 62
9th Report - UK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia
Published 25 Jun 2025
International Agreements Committee Agreement on the Chagos Archipelago All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
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.
From: International Agreements Committee, 9th Report - UK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, 25 June 2025
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 25 September 2025.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government welcomes the Committee's report and its conclusion that ratification would reduce the risk facing the Diego Garcia base, and sets out its response on defence, environment, resettlement, finance, duration, dispute settlement and amendment.
- On defence, the Government welcomes the Committee's clarity on "expeditiously" informing Mauritius of any armed attack, and agrees that the Agreement does not require notification in advance, so "no sensitive details of military activities would ever be passed on".
- On the Marine Protected Area, the UK "will support" Mauritius' ambitions, with the terms of support to be "agreed in a separate process which is already underway". It is for Mauritius to decide how the £45 million annual development funds are used.
- On resettlement, the Government is discussing modalities with Mauritius. Ahead of ratification it has "committed to providing a factual Statement to both Houses" covering eligibility criteria and the modalities of the trust fund.
- On amendment, the Government notes the Minister has stated, and written to confirm, that the Article 16.2 exception "will only be used in very exceptional circumstances".