Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Mauritius has the right to define an Economic Exclusion Zone around the British Indian Ocean Territory.

After the agreement enters into force Mauritius will be able to declare an Economic Exclusion Zone but will need to implement security arrangements under the agreement. The deal ensures that we will retain full control over Diego Garcia with robust provisions to keep adversaries out. These include unrestricted access to and use of the base for the UK and US; a buffer zone around Diego Garcia; a comprehensive mechanism to ensure no activity in the other islands threatens base operations; and a ban on the presence of any foreign security forces. The UK will also assist Mauritius in implementing a new Mauritian Marine Protected Area in the Archipelago.