Nasheed Welcomes UK Delay on Chagos Handover, Says Maldives Has ‘Far Greater Claim’

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has welcomed the UK government’s decision to shelve legislation to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, arguing that the Maldives has a stronger historical and cultural claim to the archipelago.

In a post shared on social media, Nasheed said the Maldives’ claim rests on shared historical ties, Dhivehi inscriptions found on gravestones in Chagos, a 16th-century royal patent, oral traditions and the islands’ geographical proximity to the Maldives.

Nasheed’s comments come after UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer withdrew a bill that would have provided a legal framework for transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. According to the UK-based media, The Independent, the legislation was pulled in the face of mounting political backlash, including opposition from the United States.

Thank goodness the UK Gov has shelved its plan to hand Chagos to Mauritius. The Maldives has a far greater claim to the islands: we share historical ties, our language (Dhivehi) is inscribed on gravestones in Chagos, there’s a 16th century Royal patent, we have oral traditions…— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) January 24, 2026

The bill, which had been scheduled for debate in the House of Lords on Monday, was delayed amid warnings that it could breach a 1966 UK–US treaty asserting British sovereignty over the archipelago. Ministers accused peers of acting irresponsibly and interfering with national security, while opponents argued the deal could not proceed without US backing.

The proposed agreement would see the UK cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back the strategically significant Diego Garcia military base for at least 99 years. The base has been jointly used by the UK and the US since the 1970s.

Although ministers had secured US support for the deal last year, US President Donald Trump this week publicly criticised the plan, describing it as “an act of great stupidity”. His remarks marked a sharp reversal from earlier comments in February, when he had indicated support for the UK’s position during talks with Sir Keir at the White House.

The dispute over Chagos has its roots in the colonial era. The archipelago was detached from Mauritius in 1965, prior to Mauritian independence, and remained under British control. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion stating that the UK’s continued administration of the territory was unlawful and that sovereignty should be returned to Mauritius. The UN General Assembly later adopted a resolution supporting that position.

A treaty to transfer sovereignty was signed by the UK government in May last year, following negotiations initiated under the previous Conservative administration. Under the agreement, the UK would pay Mauritius at least £100 million annually over the 99-year lease period, amounting to a minimum total cost of around £13 billion. A separate £40 million fund was announced for Chagossians forcibly removed from the islands between 1967 and 1973.

While the Maldives is not a party to the UK–Mauritius negotiations, the issue carries political and legal significance for Malé. Mauritius previously brought a case before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to determine its maritime boundary with the Maldives, raising concerns over overlapping Exclusive Economic Zones.

In 2023, the Maldivian government formally submitted a letter to the UK asserting its claim over parts of the surrounding maritime area linked to the Chagos boundaries, in line with President Mohamed Muizzu’s pledge to restore what the government describes as the Maldives’ original EEZ. The Maldives also voted against the UN General Assembly resolution backing Mauritius’ claim, citing concerns over its own maritime rights.Despite the lack of an official response from London to Malé’s submission, President Muizzu has said that relations between the Maldives and the UK remain strong, stressing that the dispute should not overshadow broader bilateral ties, particularly in tourism.