The Maldives Claim the Chagos Islands

The Maldives are contesting the UK-Mauritius agreement regarding the Chagos Islands, citing historical, cultural, and geographical legitimacy over the archipelago.

According to an article published on Sunday, January 25, by the Bangladeshi online newspaper The Deltagram, the President of the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, asserted that his country "holds the strongest claim to sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago, a strategic territory in the Indian Ocean." He urged the UK to acknowledge Malé's position rather than transferring control of the archipelago to Mauritius.

In an interview with a British newspaper, Mohamed Muizzu argued that the Maldives have historical, cultural, and documentary ties to these islands, known in Dhivehi as Foalhavahi, and located south of Maldivian waters. He claimed that these factors give the Maldives a more legitimate claim than that of other states.

The Maldivian president also indicated that the British government is aware of Malé's position, although he did not disclose the details of recent exchanges between the two parties.