Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean has been a key part of America's global strategic footprint for nearly 50 years. Located on the largest island in the world, chagos islandsthe land is owned by the United Kingdom but leased to the United States for 99 years.
The military base's stated mission is to “provide logistics support to forward operating forces deployed in the AOR of the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf.” [Areas of Responsibility] To support national policy objectives. ” Its bland language hides its important role in the U.S. national security system.
In 1990, after Iraq occupied Kuwait, NSF Diego Garcia sent a Marine Expeditionary Brigade to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield, where B-52G Stratofortress strategic bombers used it as a base for more than 200 operations. B-52s, B-1 Lancers, and B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from there attacked targets in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2006. This was critical in fighting the Taliban and al-Qaeda, as countries close to Afghanistan (Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia) refused to conduct hostilities from bases on their territory.
Diego Garcia is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), one of Britain's 14 overseas territories and the last vestige of the British Empire. But last month, Chancellor Keir Starmer announced that the next target had been reached. agreement The agreement with the Mauritian government would see BIOT's sovereignty transferred to Mauritius, subject to the conclusion of a formal treaty.
However, that sovereignty will be “exercised over Diego Garcia” by the UK for at least 99 years, ensuring the future of the military base. The content of the agreement is welcomed President Joe Biden supported the proposal because it would “ensure the effective operation of the Diego Garcia Island joint facility for the next century.”
Why did this happen?To understand this, we need to briefly understand the history of the Chagos Islands. Although about 1,400 miles apart, for a century and a half it was under the jurisdiction of Mauritius, a British colony established in 1814.
By the 1960s, it was clear that Mauritius would soon be granted independence as part of the broader dismantling of the Empire. However, the United States was keen to locate a major military base in the Indian Ocean, and the remote and sparsely populated Diego Garcia was chosen.
Following an agreement between the United States and Great Britain, the Colonial Office in London separated the Chagos Islands from Mauritius in 1965, forming the British Indian Ocean Territory. Between 1967 and 1973, some 2,000 Chagos Islanders were forcibly and unjustly relocated, as is now generally accepted, leaving BIOT deserted and construction of the base suspended. It was decided that we could proceed.
However, Mauritius, which gained independence in 1968, never accepted the partition, even though the partition took place when the Chagos Islands were a British colony. the constitution Asserting its sovereignty, the government sought legal redress, leading to the United Nations General Assembly in 2017. mention the controversy Submit to the International Court of Justice. Two years later, the court issued the following judgment: advisory opinion The UK declared that sovereignty over BIOT should be transferred to Mauritius because “the process of decolonization… has not been legally completed”.
Britain began negotiations with Mauritius over sovereignty in 2022, but they broke down at the end of last year. The New Labor government resumed talks, believing that maintaining British sovereignty would be impossible in the long term. Following the signing of the recent agreement, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: said The House of Commons said that “the status quo is clearly not sustainable” and that “a binding judgment against the UK seems inevitable…taking this agreement on our terms will ensure that the base is fully and effectively “This is the only way to maintain normal operations.” future. “
This necessity is controversial. An independent Mauritius never ruled the Chagos Islands, and the debate over “decolonization” is as much political as it is legal. But Britain made a decision.
It is not clear what it actually means for the UK to “exercise” Mauritius' sovereignty over Diego Garcia. It must have less control than being a sovereign state, but it may look the same as long as goodwill exists on all sides. Nevertheless, skeptics are right to wonder whether the goodwill estimate is sufficient when it concerns key strategic assets.
There are concerns about relations between Mauritius and China. China signed the agreement in 2019. Free trade agreement with MauritiusThis is the first time that we have bilateral trade with an African country. 75 percent increase. China is also investing heavily in Mauritius. for example, Mauritius Safe City Project It was funded by a $455 million loan from the Export-Import Bank of China, and much of the surveillance technology is provided by Chinese companies.
Was the surrender of the British Indian Ocean Territories inevitable? This incident is debatable. But neither warm words nor a long-term contract can hide the fact that Diego Garcia's strategic situation has fundamentally changed and questions remain unanswered.
Elliott Wilson is a freelance writer on politics and international issues and co-founder of Pivot Point Group. He was a senior member of the UK House of Commons from 2005 to 2016, including Secretary of the Defense Committee and Secretary of the UK Delegation to NATO Parliament.
