It has been revealed that the British government will hand over sovereignty of the disputed Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a landmark deal after years of negotiations.
This includes the tropical Diego Garcia Atoll, used by the United Kingdom and the United States as a major military base in the Indian Ocean hosting Navy ships and long-range bomber aircraft.
The new agreement will guarantee the rights of the two countries to operate the military base on Diego García, the largest island in the archipelago, for at least the next 99 years.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the status of the base will be indisputable and legally secure following the political agreement between the two countries.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “Today’s agreement secures this vital military base for the future.”
An undated file photo shows Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago and site of a major US military base in the middle of the Indian Ocean leased to Britain.
Chagos is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the Indian Ocean, between Africa and Indonesia.