President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has revealed that the Maldives opposes the transfer of sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and has officially requested consultations with the British government regarding this matter.

In a presidential statement delivered today, the President said that historically, Fōḷavahi or Chagos is a territory that falls within the sovereignty of the Maldivian state. He noted that historical written records prove that Maldivian fishermen have used that area since ancient times. The President stated that the Maldives’ position on this matter has been formally submitted in writing to the British government in November last year and January this year.

Furthermore, the President said he met with British Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy last December and directly shared the Maldives’ concerns. As the President highlighted, if Chagos comes under Mauritius’ control, the policies pursued by that country could have detrimental effects on the Maldives’ fishing industry and economy. The government has also brought these concerns to the attention of international environmental organizations.

This government believes that some of the Maldives’ maritime territory was lost following the ITLOS ruling on the Chagos issue. Alleging that this occurred due to a letter sent to Mauritius by the previous government, the President announced today that the letter has been officially withdrawn and the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone has been redefined to include the lost maritime area. He also stated that a presidential commission has been decided to establish to investigate whether there was negligence by the previous government in this matter.