UK PM Seeks New Chagos Deal
Andy Burnham says the government will pause payments to Mauritius while negotiating a revised arrangement with Washington.
By Nathan Brooks ·
The United Kingdom is pausing financial transfers to Mauritius as Prime Minister Andy Burnham seeks to rewrite the terms of the Chagos Islands agreement. The suspension comes after the United States signaled strong opposition to the original treaty, which would have transferred sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius.
Burnham told the Economist that London is holding fresh discussions with Washington to reshape the arrangement. He cited the recent accord between the United States and Denmark regarding Greenland as a potential model. Under that deal, Greenland remains Danish territory, but the US gains the right to expand its military presence there while barring rival nations from building bases on the island.
The original Chagos treaty was signed by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer. It stipulated that Mauritius would receive sovereignty over the islands while a joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia would operate under a 99-year lease. The financial terms included a payment of £165 million over the first three years, followed by £120 million annually from the fourth year onward.
President Donald Trump voiced his disapproval of the initial arrangement in September. Speaking after a meeting with Burnham in New York, Trump called the deal terrible. Defense Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed that the current structure cannot proceed without American backing. He stated that the government is working to secure support from both the US and Mauritius.
Burnham returned from the Commonwealth heads of government summit in Antigua, where Caribbean nations pressed for reparations for slavery. He claimed his administration made progress by opening the door to a government apology. He also addressed upcoming international events, including the G20 meeting scheduled for Manchester next year.
The Prime Minister indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not attend the Manchester G20 summit due to outstanding sanctions. Conversely, Chinese President Xi Jinping would be welcomed. Burnham noted that Xi visited Manchester in 2015 and had expressed positive sentiments about that trip.
In the coming weeks, Burnham will prepare for an EU summit in Brussels. He described the meeting as an opportunity for the UK to consider its long-term relationship with the bloc, including the possibility of rejoining. He is also finalizing a ten-year plan that outlines the government’s vision for economic and social change over the next decade.
Burnham acknowledged that the release of the ten-year plan could slip into December or January. He rejected reports that the document would be brief, describing it as substantial and compelling. He said the plan would weave together various policy threads to guide the nation’s development.
