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Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has asked British Prime Minister Andrew Burnham for talks over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, expressing concern over the U.K.’s planned transfer of the archipelago to Mauritius, the Maldivian presidential office said Tuesday.
Muizzu called for “meaningful dialogue” between the Maldives and the U.K. over the future of the islands and reiterated his country’s opposition to the U.K.-Mauritius agreement.
The U.K. and Mauritius signed a deal in May 2025 to transfer sovereignty of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius, ending more than two centuries of British rule.
Under the agreement, the U.S. and U.K. would continue operating the strategically important Diego Garcia military base for 99 years.
The agreement has not yet entered into force and remains subject to domestic ratification.
Muizzu highlighted what he described as the shared history and cultural ties between the Maldives and the Chagos Islands, as well as the Maldives’ longstanding support for marine conservation and scientific research expeditions in the region.
“He reaffirmed the Maldives’ commitment to maintaining a reliable and constructive partnership with the United Kingdom on matters relating to Chagos, while safeguarding the legitimate interests of the Maldivian state and its people,” the presidential office said.
Muizzu also expressed hope that renewed engagement between the two countries would support stability and security in the Indian Ocean amid increasing global uncertainty.
The Chagos Archipelago consists of seven atolls and more than 60 islands in the central Indian Ocean, about 500 kilometers, or 310 miles, south of the Maldives.
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