The Prime Minister, Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, met a delegation from the United Kingdom (UK), led by British Diplomat and former Director General, Africa, the Americas and Overseas Territories at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Ms Harriet Mathews, this afternoon, at the Treasury Building in Port Louis.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Paul Raymond Bérenger; the Attorney-General, Mr Gavin Patrick Cyril Glover; the British High Commissioner to Mauritius, Mr Paul Brummell; and other senior officials were present during the meeting. The British delegation is in Mauritius as part of ongoing discussions to finalise key points ahead of the ratification of the Treaty concerning the Chagos Archipelago.

In a statement, the Attorney General elaborated on the positive and productive nature of the discussions which began the previous day and are set to continue through tomorrow afternoon. The discussions will culminate with a meeting with Ambassador Vijay Makhan, who is overseeing the Marine Protected Area (MPA) initiative, a key component of the Treaty.

According to Mr Glover, both sides are working diligently to finalise all the necessary details ahead of the Treaty’s ratification. “We are continuing the required work to ensure we meet the timeline for ratification and to reach agreements on various points included in the Treaty’s agenda,” he explained.

The Attorney General underscored that all the points outlined in the Treaty are of utmost importance, particularly the Marine Protected Area, security, resettlement, and the trust fund, adding that these issues must be addressed with great care and attention. He also stated that arrangements needed to be made to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities from the British to the Mauritian authorities at the time of ratification.

The Attorney-General also informed that a subsequent meeting will be held on 22 October 2025 via videoconference, with a delegation from Mauritius expected to visit London in mid-November. “These meetings aim to provide greater clarity on the next steps, pending the decision from the UK House of Lords in line with the legislative process,” he said.

As for Ms Harriet Mathews, she called the discussions over the past two days ‘really constructive’, while highlighting that there is a broad agenda that needs to be addressed before ratification. “It has been a big workload but a very productive one,” she said. She indicated that more meetings will be scheduled over the coming months.

Regarding the meeting with the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister, the British Diplomat deemed the talks as highly fruitful, noting that the discussions focused on the broader picture and the actions required moving forward.