Chagos Islands | Great Britain: Escape forward

It's a leap forward, not an acknowledgement of questionable colonial behavior. Great Britain has signed a £3.4 billion (approximately €4 billion) agreement to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. In return, it will retain control of a British-US military base on Diego Garcia—the largest of the islands.

The Labour government openly states that fear of international justice was the guiding principle behind this deal. "Without this agreement, we could face a lost court ruling within weeks, which could result in the base being out of service within a few years," Defense Secretary John Healey said, seeking approval in Parliament. The agreement still needs to be ratified there.

Indeed, the UK is legally at a disadvantage: a series of rulings by various UN bodies have consistently concluded that the Chagos Islands belong to Mauritius. UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the agreement in a statement, saying it "demonstrates the value of diplomacy in addressing historical grievances."

Britain, of course, wants nothing to do with historical grievances. London refuses to admit that the administration of the then British colony of Mauritius was forced to cede the Chagos Islands for three million pounds in 1965 in order to gain independence three years later.

Britain is not concerned with redressing colonial injustices. Prime Minister Keir Starmer openly states the background: "The 99-year lease-back agreement for Diego Garcia is necessary to protect the base from 'malign influence'." He means, in particular, China, the West's major geostrategic rival, which Starmer brought on board before the deal was approved in the form of the Five Eyes alliance – the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The "running costs" of the base will be borne by the United States, according to Starmer. The agreement with Mauritius is simply a geostrategic deal to secure its own interests – another act of neocolonialism.