The UK has agreed to transfer sovereignty of the largely uninhabited Chagos archipelago to Mauritius. The islands have been known as the British Indian Ocean Territory since being administratively detached in 1965 from what was then the colony of Mauritius.

The United Kingdom's recent decision to hand back the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a former British colony, was a breakthrough, says Mauritian former foreign minister Jean-Claude de l'Estrac. But it isn't an unmitigated victory,

After years of legal wrangling and negotiations, Britain said it would surrender sovereignty of the archipelago in the Indian Ocean.

The deal that’s been announced is a rare win-win moment in international relations, with all the relevant actors able to claim a meaningful victory.

The western Indian Ocean’s Chagos Archipelago, with the exception of Diego Garcia, is no longer part of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) and is legally and constitutionally part of Mauritius as of late September.

The UK will return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, but Diego Garcia will remain under UK-US control. Chagossians, displaced decades ago, feel excluded from the deal.View on euronews