Mauritius to pressure UK over Chagos sovereignty at UN

Mauritius is preparing to escalate diplomatic pressure on the United Kingdom during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York. The standoff centers on the delayed transfer of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, following an agreement signed in May 2025.

Mauritius faces a £170 million budget deficit and intends to secure funds through lease payments for the Diego Garcia military base and compensation related to the 1965 colonization. Port-Louis is considering several escalation strategies at the UN, including seeking agency-level sanctions that could disrupt communications and logistics at Diego Garcia, pushing for a formal UN resolution declaring the British presence illegal, or returning to the International Court of Justice.

The situation has reached an impasse following the withdrawal of support from the United States. The British government previously abandoned legislation intended to implement the sovereignty transfer, leaving Prime Minister Andy Burnham in a difficult position between domestic political opposition and potential legal action from Mauritius.