The United Kingdom government on Wednesday denied pausing the ratification of a deal to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, following a statement by a minister indicating a “pause” even as discussions with the United States took place.
Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer told Members of Parliament that the UK was “pausing” the legislative process, citing ongoing discussions with Washington, according to reports from the BBC, and Reuters. A government source subsequently clarified to the BBC that “there is no pause,” adding that “timings will be announced in the usual way.”
The reversal came after U.S. President Donald Trump last week urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to abandon the deal, despite previous expressions of support from the U.S. Administration for the treaty. The Chagos Islands, officially known as the British Indian Ocean Territory, have been under British control since the early 19th century.
The proposed agreement would transfer sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius, while the UK would retain access to a joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the territory, through a lease arrangement estimated to cost £101 million annually. The Financial Times reported that the deal allows Mauritius to resettle Chagossians on islands other than Diego Garcia, and includes a £40 million trust fund for the Chagossian population.
The U.S. Maintains a strategically key air base on Diego Garcia, and the future of that base is central to the current diplomatic maneuvering. President Trump had initially indicated willingness to support the UK’s Chagos plan during a February 2025 White House visit with Prime Minister Starmer, but his recent intervention has thrown the deal into uncertainty.
The UK is currently progressing legislation to ratify the agreement, and Falconer had been responding to questions about that legislation in the House of Commons when he referenced the “pause” for discussions with U.S. Counterparts. As of Wednesday, the legislation remains under consideration, with no new timeline for its advancement announced.
