President says Maldives has stronger claim to Chagos sovereignty

President Mohamed Muizzu has said that the Maldives has a stronger claim to sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago than Mauritius, based on geographical, historical and legal grounds.

He made the remarks in an interview with Express.co.uk, which was published on Wednesday.

President Muizzu said the Maldivian government has formally engaged with the British government on the future of the Chagos Islands, which are known in Dhivehi as Foalhavahi.

He said the matter was not only of international political interest but also related to historical records and legal principles. He said the Maldives had raised its position through official correspondence with the United Kingdom.

“The Maldives has historical connections to the Chagos Islands – known to us as Foalhavahi - which lie south of Maldivian waters. These connections are based on documental evidence, and we believe gives the Maldives a greater claim than any other country,” he said.

He said the government had conveyed its position to the British government through official letters and had shared its concerns. He said details of the discussions could not be disclosed but said the Maldives believed it had a valid claim to sovereignty over the islands.

President Muizzu said at the 2024 Republic Day session that he had written to the British Prime Minister on the issue.

On Tuesday, United States President Donald Trump described Britain’s decision to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos to Mauritius and lease back the military base as a mistake.

Under an agreement signed in May last year, Britain agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius while retaining control of the military base on Diego Garcia. Under the arrangement, the United Kingdom will pay GBP 101 million a year to lease Diego Garcia for 99 years. The overall value of the agreement is GBP 3.4 billion.

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) ruled on 28 April 2024 on the maritime boundary between the Maldives and Mauritius. The tribunal held that the delimitation of the maritime area should be based primarily on the coastline of the Chagos Islands.

As a result of the ruling, the disputed maritime area of 92,563 square kilometres was divided between the two countries. The Maldives was awarded 47,232 square kilometres, while Mauritius was awarded 45,331 square kilometres.

At the time, the then opposition, now the ruling PPM–PNC coalition, criticised the ruling and said the Maldives had lost part of its southern maritime zone. Party members had called for further efforts to secure the area.

After taking office, the government said the Attorney General’s Office began work within the first 100 days to seek recovery of the disputed maritime area. A special committee was appointed and foreign experts were consulted.

However, the government has not yet submitted a formal request to review the ITLOS decision.