Rightful ownership belongs to the Maldives, President declared today.

Speaking at the official ceremony marking the nation’s Independence Day, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu reiterated the Maldivian government’s longstanding claim over the Chagos Archipelago, located to the south of the Maldives. He stressed that historical records clearly establish the islands as Maldivian territory, and therefore any transfer of sovereignty must be made to the Maldives as the rightful owner.

“The document of Sultan Hassan IX is very clear. That is why the Maldivian people believe that if Chagos is to be handed over to anyone, it must be handed to the rightful owner,” the President said.

He added that if such a handover does not take place, the Maldives has no objection to the current status of the islands continuing as it is. The President also noted that his administration is actively engaged in ongoing discussions with the relevant parties regarding the matter.

The United Kingdom had earlier announced plans to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and had entered into consultations with the United States to formalise the arrangement. However, implementation of the agreement with Mauritius stalled after Washington withheld its formal approval. International media have since reported that the White House is reviewing a proposal to overturn the British Prime Minister’s decision and instead bring the islands under direct American control.