The sun will finally set on the British empire. The UK Government’s decision to hand sovereignty of the Chagos islands to Mauritius will mean that, for the first time in hundreds of years, there will be a moment in the day when all British possessions will be in darkness.
The British Indian Ocean territory lies in a geopolitically strategic location, and is host to Diego Garcia, the US military base used as part of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. To that end, the deal to hand over sovereignty includes a 99-year lease over the base. The Foreign Office states that the agreement means the status of the base will be undisputed and legally secure.
