(4.06 p.m.) CHAGOS ARCHIPELAGO – SOVEREIGNTY – DRAFT AGREEMENT

Madam Speaker, with your permission, I have a short Statement to make on Chagos Archipelago. Madam Speaker, further to my Statement on 29 November 2024, whereby I informed the House that I had asked for an independent review of the draft agreement which was proposed by the UK and agreed by the former Government on the exercise of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, I wish to inform the House that the independent review has been completed and that the opinions submitted by the legal advisers have been considered by an Inter-Ministerial Committee chaired by me, which included the Deputy Prime Minister, the Attorney General, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Madam Speaker, following the letter which the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom addressed to me on 12 November 2024 and the meeting which I had with Mr Jonathan Powell, who is the UK National Security Adviser, on 25 November 2024, a delegation of senior officials from the United Kingdom came to Mauritius last week for further discussions with the Mauritian authorities. Apart from meetings which were held between senior officials from Mauritius and the United Kingdom, the Head of the UK delegation called upon me. During the discussions, Mauritius made it clear that while it is still willing to conclude an agreement with the United Kingdom, the draft agreement which was shown to us after the General Elections is one which, in our view, would not produce the benefits that the nation could expect from such an agreement. Therefore, Mauritius accordingly submitted counterproposals to the UK so that an agreement which is in the best interests of Mauritius can be concluded. The response of the United Kingdom to our counterproposals was received yesterday afternoon and is now being currently considered. Thank you, Madam Speaker.