Chagos dispute: Challenges in appealing ITLOS decision, says AG

There are challenges in appealing the International Tribunal for the Law of the Seas (ITLOS)'s decision in the matter determining the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Maldives and Mauritius, said Attorney General (AG) Ahmed Usham.

Recently, the United Kingdom (UK) agreed to give sovereignty of the Chagos Island, which was previously under the UK's administration.

Speaking at a press conference held at the President's Office, AG Usham said that the UK's decision came while the report of international experts to reclaim the EEZ was being submitted to the Cabinet.

"We face some challenges with the decision by the United Kingdom's government. The decision requires us to completely change the whole strategy. We are once again seeking advice from the team of experts and lawyers on how to proceed next," Usham explained.

"Once again, we will revise our report, submit it to the cabinet and decide on our next steps."

ITLOS has allocated the disputed overlapping territory of 95,000 square kilometers between Maldives and Mauritius, providing each country with a 200-mile continental shelf. Maldives has been granted 47,232 square kilometers while Mauritius has been given 45,331 square kilometres.

Following this decision, the current administration of Maldives claimed that Maldives has lost a part of its sea, and pledged to recover the area. The government promised to begin the appeal process of the ITLOS decision within the first 100 days of the government.

After half a century, the islands were ceded to Mauritius after two years of negotiations. This decision followed the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) suggesting that the islands belong to Mauritius. At the time the United Nation's General Assembly also voted implement the recommendation.

The Chagos Islands include Diego Garcia, the closest island to the Maldives, where the U.S. currently operates a long-term leased military base. The island is designated for naval ships, bombers, and long-haul aircraft, and is part of a separate atoll in the Chagos Archipelago leased to the United States for an extended period.