By Jean Paul Arouff
PORT LOUIS (Reuters) – Mauritius’ Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has described as “positive” U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments that signalled Washington would likely back a deal over the future of a U.S.-UK military base in the Chagos Islands.
Britain struck the agreement in October to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while retaining control under a 99-year lease of the military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island of the archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
The deal, yet to be finalised with a formal treaty, had the backing of former U.S. President Joe Biden but has been mired in uncertainty since Trump’s re-election, with Ramgoolam, who was elected in November, also raising questions about it.
Trump indicated his likely backing for the deal while meeting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House on Thursday.
“It looks positive. But we will wait and see what are the final proposals,” Ramgoolam told L’Hebdo, a weekly newspaper published on Sunday, referring to Trump’s comments on the deal.
Trump told reporters he would discuss the agreement with Starmer but that he was hopeful “it’s going to work out very well.”
“I think we’ll be inclined to go along with your country,” he told Starmer.
Britain had said it would give the Trump administration a chance to review the deal before finalising it.
(Writing by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
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