Nigel Farage, leader of the UK’s Reform Party and a Member of Parliament, has called on the British government to pause its proposed agreement with Mauritius to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, arguing that the Maldives holds stronger historical rights to the territory.
Speaking during a parliamentary debate on the UK–Mauritius agreement, Farage said the deal raised two key concerns.
The first, he argued, was the Maldives’ historical claim to the Chagos Islands, which he described as significant. Farage suggested that France had at one point altered the name of a location that was historically part of Maldives.
“I believe Maldives will file a claim with the ICJ soon. I think if someone has sovereignty over those islands, it should be Maldives, not Mauritius,” Farage told Parliament.
Farage, who recently travelled to Maldives to visit Chagos, also warned that transferring sovereignty to Mauritius could undermine regional stability.
Farage had claimed that his visit to Maldives to facilitate food and other necessities to those trying to resettle in the Chagos, was obstructed through the Maldivian government. The Maldives government denied the allegation, stating that it had not interfered with his travel plans.
Mauritius gained independence from Britain in 1968, while the Chagos Islands were retained under British control as the British Indian Ocean Territory. The indigenous Chagos population was forcibly removed from the islands to make way for a US military base on Diego Garcia.
In 2018, Mauritius referred the matter to the International Court of Justice. In 2019, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion stating that the UK’s continued administration of the Chagos Islands was unlawful and that sovereignty should be returned to Mauritius.
The UK initially rejected the advisory opinion but agreed last year to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius, subject to a condition that Mauritius lease Diego Garcia, where a major US military base operates back to the UK for 99 years.
Maldives government has formally objected to the transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius and requested consultations with the British government on the matter.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced the formation of a presidential commission to examine actions taken by Maldivian officials in relation to Mauritius’ international legal efforts.
He also said former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's previous letter sent to the Mauritian Prime Minister was withdrawn and reaffirmed that the Maldives’ exclusive economic zone is defined in accordance with existing law, including maritime areas subject to dispute.
