Chagossians and the Diego Garcia Base Treaty

Stephen Doughty Excerpts

Monday 15th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Stephen Doughty)]

The Diego Garcia treaty, signed by the UK on 22 May 2025, secures the future of the strategically critical UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. This base is vital for UK defence and intelligence capabilities, and the safety and security of the British people.

The Government also worked to ensure that the treaty includes important provisions for Chagossians, including the establishment of a trust fund to benefit the community and a route to resettle the islands of the Chagos archipelago other than Diego Garcia. These and other related Chagossian issues have been the subject of significant debate in both Houses. The Government are pleased to update the House on recent developments.

Chagossian Trust Fund

Under the terms of the treaty, the UK will capitalise a £40 million trust fund for the benefit of Chagossians, which will be established by Mauritius. On 12 December, the Mauritian Government approved introduction of primary legislation to establish the trust fund. The Bill will be published on the website of the Mauritian Parliament and can be viewed on the Government Information Service portal of the Government of Mauritius https://gis.govmu.org It confirms the principle that the trust fund will be operated for Chagossians, by Chagossians.

Decisions on the use of funds will be taken by a trust fund management board. The board will comprise 12 members, seven of whom will be Chagossian, ensuring majority representation. The chair of the trust fund will be a Chagossian, selected by the Chagossian members of the board. Following extensive representations and engagement by this Government, the Bill also now confirms that a UK-based Chagossian representative will sit on the board alongside representatives living in Mauritius and the Seychelles. The UK High Commissioner to Mauritius will also attend board meetings.

We welcome these commitments by Mauritius which will ensure the trust fund reflects the full spectrum of perspectives within the Chagossian community.

Eligibility to Participate in a Programme of Resettlement

The treaty enables Mauritius to develop a programme of resettlement on islands other than Diego Garcia. This agreement is the only viable path to resettlement on the archipelago. The UK Government have been in talks with Mauritius to ensure that this programme is open to all Chagossians, irrespective of their country of residence. The Mauritian Government confirmed on 12 December that eligibility to resettle will apply to Chagossians born on the archipelago before 31 December 1973, and children of parents either of whom were born on the archipelago before that date.

UK-based Chagossians who do not hold Mauritian citizenship and meet these criteria will be eligible for Mauritian citizenship, and therefore able to participate in any future programme of resettlement. All Chagossians will remain eligible for British citizenship under the current citizenship pathway. Chagossians will be able to hold both British and Mauritian citizenship.

Mauritius has also confirmed that civil status documents issued by the Government of Mauritius will continue to record the place of birth as the Chagos archipelago for all of those born there. Where, for any reason, this has not been the case, the Government of Mauritius will review and amend the documents as necessary.

Mauritian Criminal Code Amendment

On 29 October, the Mauritius Criminal Code (Amendment No.2) Act 2025 came into force, repealing section 76B of the Mauritian criminal code and removing the offence of

“misrepresenting the sovereignty of Mauritius by producing, distributing, supply or marketing any coin, stamp, official map or official object or document.”

Concerns had been raised that Chagossians might face prosecution for expressing their affiliation with the UK. Although no one was ever prosecuted under this law, we recognise the impact it was having on the Chagossian community and welcome the steps taken by the Mauritian Government to have section 76B of the Mauritian criminal code repealed.

Heritage Visits to the Chagos Archipelago

Both the UK Government and the Republic of Mauritius recognise the importance of heritage visits for the Chagossian community and remain committed to facilitating a programme of heritage visits to the Chagos archipelago, including Diego Garcia. We will work together to resume a programme of visits to the archipelago.

Chagossian Support Programme—Supporting Chagossians in our Communities

Separate to the treaty, the Government are increasing support for Chagossians living in the UK through both new and existing initiatives. This includes support for newly arrived British citizens and a wide range of projects that will benefit the Chagossian community.

Chagossian Contact Group

The Chagossian contact group provides Chagossians with a role in decision-making on the UK Government’s support for their community. On 11 November, we committed to exploring ways to enhance the group by increasing its transparency and frequency, provided that the contact group’s existing members agreed. FCDO officials have discussed this with contact group members, who are now consulting with the wider community ahead of making decisions. We will provide a further update once these are received.

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