World News
Maldives asks the UK to reopen sovereignty negotiations over Chagos Islands
President Mohamed Muizzu asked the UK to reconsider handing the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, according to Al Jazeera.
The short version
- Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu sent a letter to UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham requesting that talks over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands be reopened.[Al Jazeera]
- The Maldives asserts historical ties and geographic proximity to the territory, expressing disappointment over not being consulted during previous negotiations.[Al Jazeera]
- A UK Foreign Office spokesperson stated that sovereignty over the archipelago is solely an issue between the UK and Mauritius.[Al Jazeera]
Key facts
- Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu requested in a letter to UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham that sovereignty talks regarding the Chagos Islands be reopened rather than completing a handover to Mauritius.[Al Jazeera]
- Former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had concluded an agreement in May 2025 to transfer sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius.[Al Jazeera]
- The Maldives government claims its sovereignty stake is based on historical connections and being approximately 500 kilometers away.[Al Jazeera]
- A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office asserted that sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is exclusively an issue between the UK and Mauritius.[Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- Whether the UK government under Prime Minister Andy Burnham will formally consider the Maldives' request or alter its planned transfer to Mauritius remains unresolved.[Al Jazeera]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.