Mauritian PM Navin Ramgoolam travels to London for Chagos talks

Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has traveled to London for high-level discussions regarding the future of the Chagos Archipelago agreement. A key meeting is scheduled this week between Ramgoolam and Jonathan Powell, the British Prime Minister’s National Security Advisor and former special envoy for the Chagos negotiations.

The diplomatic mission follows a telephone conversation on September 21 between Ramgoolam and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Burnham reaffirmed his commitment to working with both Mauritius and the United States to find a path toward the ratification of the treaty signed on May 22, 2025, particularly concerning the strategic military base at Diego Garcia.

However, the process faces significant opposition from the United States. President Donald Trump has publicly contested certain elements of the agreement between London and Port Louis, stating in New York that he does not support it. Despite this pressure, the Mauritian government maintains a firm stance, with Ramgoolam asserting that Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos is ‘non-negotiable’ and Foreign Minister Ritish Ramful advocating for ‘discreet diplomacy’ at the United Nations.