Topic: World News
by MPeriod
Posted 2 months ago
On Thursday, President Donald Trump indicated his willingness to support a deal between Britain and Mauritius regarding the future of a U.S.-UK military base located in the Chagos Islands. This development comes as a positive sign for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as they held their first in-person talks at the White House.
The agreement, struck in October, allows Britain to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while keeping control of the Diego Garcia military base under a 99-year lease. This arrangement has already received support from former U.S. President Joe Biden but has faced challenges since Trump's re-election.
During their meeting, Trump stated, "We're going to have some discussions about that very soon, and I have a feeling it's going to work out very well." He acknowledged the deal contained a "very long, powerful" lease over Diego Garcia and hinted at being open to the agreement, saying, "I think we'll be inclined to go along with your country."
Starmer will likely welcome Trump’s comments, particularly given the domestic political pressures he faces regarding the deal's cost and the implications of losing British sovereignty over the islands.
However, the agreement is now surrounded by further uncertainty. The new Prime Minister of Mauritius has raised questions about the details of the agreement. Additionally, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed concerns regarding China’s growing influence in the region.
Historically, when Mauritius gained independence from Britain in the 1960s, the UK maintained control over the Chagos Islands and displaced around 2,000 residents to establish the Diego Garcia base.