Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 2, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 25, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleMauritius PM Navin Ramgoolam sees Trump's comments on the Chagos Islands deal as positive, indicating potential US support for the agreement involving a US-UK military base.
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)
Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam described Trump's comments as 'positive,' indicating potential U.S. support for the Chagos deal.
The agreement to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is yet to be finalized with a formal treaty.
Trump indicated his likely backing for the deal during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, expressing hope that 'it's going to work out very well.'
The deal had the backing of former U.S. President Joe Biden but faced uncertainty following Trump's re-election.
Britain has stated that it will allow the Trump administration to review the deal before it is finalized.
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