Britain’s Chagos Deal Requires U.S. Consent

Up until January 20, the British government was on track to ratify the United Kingdom’s agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, with the U.K. leasing back Diego Garcia for 99 years so that the joint U.S.-U.K. military base could stay in business. But recent remarks by President Donald Trump and other senior members of his administration raise serious doubts about whether the agreement will ever be ratified.

This is not the first twist in the sorry tale of Britain’s recent attempt to pay billions for the privilege of surrendering a priceless strategic asset while degrading U.S.-U.K. defense interests along the way. But it may be that the tale is nearing its end, because without American consent, the Chagos deal cannot go ahead.

About the Author

Richard Ekins

Richard Ekins KC is Head of Policy Exchange’s Judicial Power Project and Professor of Law and Constitutional Government at the University of Oxford.

Featured Tags

Manage following

Britain

Up until January 20, the British government was on track to ratify the United Kingdom’s agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, with the U.K. leasing back Diego Garcia for 99 years so that the joint U.S.-U.K. military base could stay in business. But recent remarks by President Donald Trump and other senior members of his administration raise serious doubts about whether the agreement will ever be ratified.

This is not the first twist in the sorry tale of Britain’s recent attempt to pay billions for the privilege of surrendering a priceless strategic asset while degrading U.S.-U.K. defense interests along the way. But it may be that the tale is nearing its end, because without American consent, the Chagos deal cannot go ahead.