US-UK Strategic Security Pact: Diego Garcia Military Base Secured for 99 Years with $4.5 Billion Investment – Keir Starmer

US-UK Strategic Security Pact: Diego Garcia Military Base Secured for 99 Years with $4.5 Billion Investment – Keir Starmer

London:
On Thursday, the United Kingdom signed an agreement transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, in exchange for the continued protection of a strategically critical military base by the United States and the United Kingdom.

Under this agreement, the East African nation of Mauritius gains control over the Chagos Islands, while the UK and the US are granted the right to operate the strategically vital Diego Garcia military base for the next 99 years.

Speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the total net cost of the agreement is £3.4 billion (approximately $4.5 billion USD).

Emphasizing the importance of securing the base, Starmer said, "This provides the UK and the US with a unique and extremely important capability, which directly benefits us."

He further stated, "Had we not agreed to this deal, the legal situation would have been such that we could not have prevented China or other countries from establishing bases on the outer islands — some of which are already conducting joint military exercises close to our own base."

Notably, the islands came under British control in the early 19th century after the surrender of French forces.
Under the Treaty of Paris in 1814, Mauritius and its dependencies, including the Chagos Archipelago, were formally declared a British colony.

In 1965, the UK separated the Chagos Islands from Mauritius.