The United Kingdom is preparing to review its agreement to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius again, after Donald Trump strongly opposed it and condemned the deal at the UN General Assembly as "a very bad agreement." "Chagos Islands" refers to the territory involved; the opposition from Trump is the key element.
On 23 Sep 2026 GMT+7, UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting told BBC News that the government needs to reconsider the sovereignty transfer agreement of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after U.S. President Donald Trump condemned it at the UN General Assembly as "a very bad agreement."
The UK must review the agreement due to a lack of support from the U.S., its key ally. Streeting said discussions with President Trump and the U.S. government are necessary to amend the agreement to a form acceptable to the U.S.
No specific timeline has been set for this review, but Streeting confirmed that "no payments will be made to Mauritius at this time" while officials seek a new mutually acceptable agreement.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham assured in a meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York that the UK would work urgently with all parties to protect the future of the military base on the islands.
According to the latest agreement, the UK would transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius but lease the site of a joint UK-U.S. military base on Diego Garcia—the largest and strategically vital island in the Indian Ocean—for 99 years, paying an average annual rent of £101 million.
However, implementation of this agreement has been suspended since April after Donald Trump declared his opposition.
Sovereignty negotiations over the Chagos Islands began in 2022 after the International Court of Justice ruled that the 1965 separation of the Chagos Islands from Mauritius was unlawful. UK leaders are concerned that prolonged legal disputes could threaten the security of the military base.
However, Trump and the UK opposition parties strongly oppose the agreement, viewing it as a "sign of weakness" and fearing it could open the door for China to expand its influence around the islands. The opposition also criticizes the long-term financial burden of the deal.
Follow international news:https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign
Source:bbc