UK’s new prime minister under pressure as Africa’s second-richest country pushes to reclaim Chagos Islands amid US plan to buy them

Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces pressure over the Chagos Islands as Mauritius prepares to raise the stalled sovereignty transfer at the United Nations General Assembly next month, according to The Telegraph.

• Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces renewed pressure from Mauritius and the African Union over the stalled sovereignty transfer of the Chagos Islands.
• The 2025 agreement would recognize Mauritian sovereignty over the archipelago but let Britain keep control of the key military base on Diego Garcia under a 99-year lease.
• Financial aspects of the agreement are significant for Mauritius, including annual payments from the UK, while the US has strategic interests in maintaining its access to the Diego Garcia base.
• The transfer process remains unresolved after required UK legislation was dropped, and upcoming meetings between Burnham, Trump, and US officials could impact the future of the disputed territory.

The dispute centres on a May 2025 agreement under which Britain agreed to recognise Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago while retaining control of Diego Garcia, home to a major UK-US military base, under a 99-year lease.

Burnham is expected to attend the UN gathering in New York, where the issue could feature during his first major international summit as prime minister.

Mauritius steps up pressure

Mauritius, Africa’s second-richest country by nominal GDP per capita after Seychelles, has pursued sovereignty over Chagos for decades.

The country also includes Rodrigues, Agaléga and the Saint Brandon islands, while maintaining claims over Chagos and Tromelin.

The African Union has backed Mauritius on the Chagos dispute, which it regards as part of the continent’s decolonisation process.

In 2019, the International Court of Justice concluded in an advisory opinion that Britain should end its administration of the archipelago.

The stalled agreement also has financial implications for Mauritius, which faces an unfunded budget deficit of about £170 million and had expected part of the shortfall to be covered by payments linked to Britain’s continued use of Diego Garcia.

Under the agreement, the UK committed to payments valued at about £35 billion over the lease, which the Labour government said amounted to roughly £101 million a year after adjusting for inflation and discounting future payments.

Diego Garcia puts Washington at centre

Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago, has hosted US and British military operations for decades, giving Washington a direct interest in any change to the territory’s legal status.

The White House initially supported the UK-Mauritius agreement under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer because it preserved long-term access to the military facility.

That position changed after Britain refused to allow the United States to use British-controlled bases, including Diego Garcia, for offensive bombing operations against Iran.

Following the dispute, US President Donald Trump withdrew his support for the transfer and described the agreement as an “act of great stupidity”. He also said he had warned Starmer against entering a long-term lease arrangement.

Washington’s position shifted again when Reuters reported on June 7, 2026, citing The Telegraph, that the White House was considering a plan to buy the Chagos Islands from Mauritius.

Under the reported proposal, US officials were exploring an arrangement that would bypass Britain and allow Washington to negotiate directly with Mauritius to secure control of Diego Garcia.

Mauritius responded the following day, saying it had received no official proposal from the Trump administration and had not been approached directly or indirectly about a separate agreement.

Port Louis also maintained that its sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago was “non-negotiable”.

Burnham Inherits Stalled Agreement

The dispute now falls to Burnham after legislation needed to implement the Chagos agreement was dropped in April, leaving the transfer unresolved.

His expected visit to the United States could include his first meeting with Trump since becoming prime minister, according to reports.

UK officials are also exploring the possibility of a White House meeting, depending on Trump’s schedule.

Any talks are likely to focus partly on the future of Diego Garcia as Britain continues discussions with Mauritius and the United States over the island’s legal status and military role.