News Desk
The Maldives has formally notified the United Kingdom that it does not recognise the planned transfer of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, escalating a dispute that now risks moving into international courts.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s office confirmed that Malé has delivered two written objections and raised the matter directly with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy during a phone call in December. Officials described the UK–Mauritius arrangement as “deeply concerning” and said it had been advanced without any regard for Maldivian interests.
The Maldives argues that it holds historic, administrative and geographical ties to the Chagos Archipelago, and that these links give it a prior claim to sovereign rights. The government is now reviewing international legal rulings and preparing for possible action at the International Court of Justice.
In a detailed statement shared with the BBC, the President’s Office said the UK’s decision to negotiate solely with Mauritius “without due consideration of Maldivian interests” could not be accepted.
“These diplomatic communications articulate the government’s firm position. The decision by the British government to proceed in sole consultation with Mauritius, without due consideration of Maldivian interests, is deeply concerning,” the statement said.
“Consequently, the Maldives has formally communicated that it does not recognise the transfer of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius. This position is based on the profound historical and administrative ties between the Maldives and the archipelago, as well as the significant implications any such transfer holds for Maldivian sovereignty.”
During his call with Lammy, President Muizzu warned that “any transfer of the archipelago must account for Maldivian interests”.
The UK government maintains that sovereignty over the Chagos Islands is an issue for Britain and Mauritius alone. Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said the Maldives is not a party to the question of sovereignty.
A government source pointed to previous international rulings that favoured Mauritius. These include a 2019 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice and a 2023 decision by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. While non‑binding, the ICJ opinion carries legal weight and prompted the UN General Assembly to call for the UK to end its administration of the territory.
The Chagos Islands, administered by Britain since the early nineteenth century as the British Indian Ocean Territory, host a major joint UK–US military base on Diego Garcia. Last year, the UK agreed in principle to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius while continuing to lease the base at an annual cost of about £101 million.
Labour ministers have argued that without a settlement, the future of the base could be undermined by international legal rulings.
However, the deal has not been enacted in UK law and now appears to be on hold. US President Donald Trump publicly urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer not to give up the territory, declaring that “this land should not be taken away from the UK”. His comments came despite the US State Department formally supporting the UK’s plan.
Muizzu’s office said the government is reviewing all relevant legal judgements and preparing its next steps.
“The government of the Maldives maintains the firm position that, by virtue of historical and geographical proximity, it holds a prior claim to sovereign rights over the Chagos Archipelago over any other state,” the statement said.
“Accordingly, if sovereignty is to be vested in any nation, it must rightfully be the Maldives.”
Officials said the government would “pursue all available avenues for a formal submission” to the ICJ and would continue to “assess all lawful means to uphold the national interest”.
“We remain hopeful that the United Kingdom, as a long‑standing partner, will engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve this matter in a spirit of mutual respect and historical accuracy,” the statement added.
Any legal challenge from the Maldives would further complicate the UK’s already troubled negotiations with Mauritius. The deal is also opposed by many Chagossians, who see the transfer as a betrayal and want the UK to retain sovereignty so that displaced islanders may one day return.
The Conservatives and Reform UK have also come out strongly against the agreement.
President Mohamed Muizzu’s intervention strengthens the Maldives’ position in a long‑running regional question, placing the country in a leading role and ensuring its rightful interests in one of the Indian Ocean’s most strategic island chains are firmly recognised.
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