Trump has greenlit UK Chagos handover to Mauritius - No 10

Donald Trump has signed off the UK's handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, Downing Street has indicated, paving the way for the UK to cede sovereignty over its last African colony after a six-month standoff.

- Eleni Courea

Under the terms of the deal, the UK will give up ownership of the Chagos archipelago while paying to maintain control of a joint US-UK military base on the largest island, Diego Garcia, under a 99-year lease.

The agreement came under fire from senior Republicans in the US last year, and more recently some inside the government who questioned why the UK was spending billions on it amid cost pressures.

The prime minister's spokesperson said yesterday that the deal was being finalised after receiving the green light from Trump. "My understanding is it's now between us and the Mauritian government to finalise the deal, following the discussions with the US," he said.

Trump told Keir Starmer during his visit to the White House in February that he was "inclined to go with your country" over the Chagos deal.