Pope Celebrates UK-Mauritius Chagos Islands Treaty as Major Victory for Refugees

Wed Oct 22 2025 17:15:36 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Pope Leo XIV commends a recent treaty allowing Mauritius to gain sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, emphasizing the return of displaced Chagossian refugees.

In a significant turn for Chagossian communities, Pope Leo XIV praised the UK's treaty with Mauritius over the Chagos Islands, viewing it as a step towards justice. While the treaty allows continued military presence, it raises hopes for displaced families to return home.

Pope Leo XIV recently expressed his happiness regarding the UK's agreement to transfer the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, recognizing the development as a "significant victory" in the long-standing struggle of the Chagossian refugees to rectify an historical wrong. Addressing a delegation of 15 Chagossian refugees in Vatican City, the Pope conveyed his excitement about the renewed hope for their return to their homeland.

The treaty, signed in May, allows Mauritius to gain control over the islands, albeit with stipulations permitting the continued operation of a military base on Diego Garcia by the UK and the US for an initial duration of 99 years. The Pope urged Mauritian leaders to prioritize the refugees’ return in order to respect their identity and rights, particularly their connection to their land. This sentiment was echoed by opposition leaders in the UK and some Chagossians now residing there, who criticized the terms of the deal.

Historically, the UK acquired the Chagos Islands from Mauritius for £3 million in 1968. The Mauritian government contends that this acquisition was enforced during its quest for independence from British rule. Following this transfer, large groups of Chagossians were forcibly relocated, with many moving to Mauritius, Seychelles, or accepting resettlement in the UK, particularly in Crawley, West Sussex.

As part of the treaty, the UK will pay Mauritius an annual fee averaging £101 million for the next 99 years. The agreement establishes a 24-mile buffer zone around Diego Garcia where construction is prohibited without UK consent, and foreign military forces are restricted from other islands in the archipelago. However, the UK retains a veto over access to these islands.

The treaty is pending approval from both British and Mauritian parliaments to become effective. When the deal was announced, Conservative leaders labeled it "an act of national self-harm," asserting that it jeopardizes the UK's position against China due to its enhanced ties with Mauritius. Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted on the necessity of the agreement for national security, claiming that failure to proceed could allow external nations to establish bases in nearby territories.

Mauritian Attorney General Gavin Glover celebrated the agreement, stating that the nation is "elated" after a 60-year struggle for rights over the islands. However, a last-minute legal challenge was attempted by two women born on Diego Garcia who wished to return; this challenge was ultimately dismissed by the High Court.