The United Kingdom announced on Thursday (October 3) that it will hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, paving the way for displaced islanders to return, while maintaining its right to use the military base on Diego Garcia, which it operates in partnership with the United States.

The UK said that this agreement safeguards the operation of Diego Garcia, a key military base, and enables Mauritius to resettle the rest of the islands, whose population was displaced many years ago.

“This government inherited a situation where the long-term, secure operation of the Diego Garcia military base was under threat, with contested sovereignty and ongoing legal challenges,” said UK Foreign Minister David Lammy in a statement.

“Today’s agreement secures this vital military base for the future. It will strengthen our role in safeguarding global security, shut down any possibility of the Indian Ocean being used as a dangerous illegal migration route to the UK, as well as guaranteeing our long-term relationship with Mauritius,” he added.

Mauritius hailed the agreement with Britain, calling it “historic” and marking a significant milestone in the relationship between the two nations.

“3rd October 2024. A day to remember. A day to commemorate full sovereignty of the Republic of Mauritius over the entirety of its territory,” said Foreign Minister Maneesh Gobin on X (formerly Twitter).

US President Joe Biden also praised the agreement on Thursday, calling it a “historic settlement” that resolved the long-standing sovereignty dispute between the UK and Mauritius over the Chagos Islands.

“It is a clear demonstration that through diplomacy and partnership, countries can overcome long-standing historical challenges to reach peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes,” Biden remarked in a statement from the White House.

The UK has held control of the region since 1814. In 1965, it separated the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, which gained independence in 1968, creating the British Indian Ocean Territory.

In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled that the UK should relinquish control of the islands and highlighted that the population had been wrongfully expelled in the 1970s to accommodate a US military base.

Britain and Mauritius issued a joint statement, acknowledging the backing of both the US and India for this political settlement.

“The treaty will open a new chapter in our shared history,” the statement noted, adding that it signals a new era of cooperation in areas such as the economy, security, and the environment.

(With inputs from agencies)