CHAGOS ISLANDS | Britain’s Strategic Defeat?

In October 2024, the UK government agreed to transfer the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, sparking both international praise and domestic controversy. This decision ended decades of legal disputes over the islands, which have been under British control since the 19th century. The Chagos Archipelago, strategically located in the Indian Ocean, includes Diego Garcia, a key US military air base. While much of the global community welcomed the move, critics in Britain argue it threatens national security and undermines the UK’s geopolitical influence. The agreement allows Britain to retain control over Diego Garcia for 99 years, even as the remaining islands are handed over.

The history of the Chagos Islands is deeply tied to Britain's colonial past. The archipelago was separated from Mauritius in the 1960s, prompting legal battles that reached the International Court of Justice. In 2019, the ICJ ruled Britain’s administration of the islands unlawful, and subsequent UN resolutions supported Mauritius’ claim. With the new agreement, Mauritius can begin resettlement efforts, excluding Diego Garcia, while Britain retains a foothold through its defence interests. This outcome reflects broader international pressures on the UK to resolve colonial-era disputes and could impact its global diplomatic standing.

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*VIDEO CHAPTERS*
00:00 Introduction and Titles
00:43 Contested Decolonisation and the Chagos Islands
01:41 The Strategic Significance of the Chagos Archipelago
02:25 Britain, Mauritius, and the Chagos Islands
04:07 The Chagos Archipelago and Mauritius Independence
05:47 The Chagos Islands Question
07:46 UK vs Mauritius: The ICJ Case and After
09:10 Britain’s and the Chagos Islands Problem
10:31 The Implications of the Chagos Islands Agreement

*SOURCES AND FURTHER READING*
Government of Mauritius
British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
Treaty of Paris | 1814
UN General Assembly Resolution 1514
International Court of Justice | Chagos Islands Case

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#UnitedKingdom #Mauritius #ChagosIslands #ICJ

[JamesKerLindsay]

Britain's decision to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius caused a massive stir in certain parts of the British political establishment. Many even called it a betrayal. So, was this the right decision? Or should Britain have held on to the islands? Let me know your thoughts.

[rossellinirossicalrossc]

Boris Johnson was on GB News saying that Mauritius is too far from the islands to claim sovereignty…. Now I’m no pilot, but I’m pretty sure Mauritius is closer to them than the UK….

[bilic]

Glad to be back with geopolitics the past week has been bs with this hurricane.

[EmmaMaySeven]

I remember reading about the plight of the Chagos Islanders more than twenty years ago. It has always bothered me that, for all the wrongs of history that cannot be put right, here was a problem we could fix (I'm from the UK). I was dismayed when David Miliband deliberately made the situation worse in 2014 (and still wonder why he is held in high esteem). But I am glad that we've finally done the right thing. Naysayers be damned.

[VishnuQM]

I'm an American who is a staunch Tory supporter. Thanks to your video, I shifted my views on this case. I still think that the lease to Diego Garcia was incorrect, perhaps Britain could have maintained full control of it instead of making it a 99 year lease. You have now gotten me to support the return. Thank you!

[veraxiana]

Another key difference between the chagos islands and other overseas territories like the Falklands, Gibraltar, etcetera, is that this is the only situation where the UK explicitly deported the entire native population. Falklanders, Gibraltarians, and so on all overwhelmingly want to remain a part of the UK also, unlike the chagossians who reasonably hold a negative attitude against the UK for displacing them. Needless to say, saying this sets some sort of precedent is silly to say the least.

[Niksg]

The consistant conservative British rage at the violation against their principled stance of just...owning land somewhere, is astounding to me as a very non British person

[shurqeh]

Seems a bit odd that Britain could not detach the Chagos islands from Mauritius but they could attach them in the first place. Seems like replacing one remote colonial overlord with another rather than an actual process of decolonization.

[garrettallen]

Professor I have a question. You said in the video that Mauritius would begin the resettlement of any Chagossians who were away from there home. My question to you is what mechanism by the international community is being used to ensure that it is the Chagossians who are being resettled and not, let’s say, other Mauritians from Mauritius? I would also like to know how are resettlement issues monitored in the international community, if any recent examples of such. Thanks for the video!

[philjameson]

Hi James, you omitted the fact that when the UK created the BIOT it also took islands that were part of the Seychelles but that it split these islands off and returned them to the Seychelles

[redbeangreenbean]

Thank you. Would've been nice to see at least a passing mention of how the indigenous Chagossians themselves view this news, though

[quartercast]

There's a huge difference between entering into a negotiation process and actually negotiating a poor deal.

[donnydonadio]

Whatever happens, I don’t see that US base moving.

[dunnowy]

I'm a bit skeptical by the "diplomatic headache" argument. Was there really that much of a stir caused by these islands? I've heard that some believe this might "help Ukraine by taking this issue off the table" with the African bloc at the UN...but...really?

I don't think this dispute would really make any government change their mind about the supposed hypocrisy of Western governments vis a vis international law. Most countries like to talk about international law when it's convenient for them, and otherwise ignore it.

[Castorcato]

How are we to chime on about Putin's imperial ambitions and not give this land away? Especially with the ICC ruling.

We keep the base, what is the issue.

On Akrotiri etc, if Cyprus pipes up we should be making it worthwhile for them that we're there. That base has been absolutely integral for the past 50 years.

[stunimbus]

Since the Chagos Islands were only administered from Mauritius as a convenience for France, they were never a part of Mauritius.

[roddychristodoulou]

Given that empire and colonialism belong to the history books yes it's very welcome that the UK relinquish control of the Chagos islands .
I don't see this as any type of betrayal whatsoever, however I do find it strange that they've been handed over to Mauritius, as far as I know Mauritius has never ruled over the Chagos islands .
A better solution would've been to have spoken with the Chagoan people and to come up with a more acceptable solution .
No wonder the Chagoans are up in arms over this deal and feel left out of the own country yet again .
I can't help think that the massive American air/naval base on Diego Garcia has had an influence on this decision .

[AWaBfantasy]

As for many thinking the era of decolonization being behind us: Never forget that Russia still has to begin its decolonization. Be it Siberia, or many of the other nations, ethnicities and cultures it quietly gobbled up.

[oldgreybeard]

I am fairly confident that most of the archipelago is just a few metres above sea level. When the Totten and the West Antarctic ice shelf melts

[JohnNjengaCOCO]

Chagos is NOT British. All former inhabitants of Chagos were relocated to Mauritius and Seychelles. Majority of those natives went to Mauritius.