US faces nuclear weapons ban on Chagos Islands

As a signatory of the Pelindaba treaty, an African nuclear-weapon-free zone treaty, Mauritius could force the US to cease nuclear operations in the region if Sir Keir Starmer's deal to give up the Islands goes ahead.

The Government has repeatedly insisted that the nuclear weapons treaty will not interfere with operations at Diego Garcia.

But the treaty prohibits the “stockpiling, acquisition, testing, possession, control or stationing of nuclear weapons”.

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Lifting the nuclear weapons ban would require the approval of every signatory of the Pelindaba treaty.

More than 50 African states are signatories of the agreement, and negotiating with each of them could take many years.

Under Keir Starmer’s Chagos Islands deal, the UK is set to cede control of the Chagos archipelago, but maintain control of the joint US-UK military base on the largest island, Diego Garcia, under a 99-year lease.

The US has used the region for nuclear operations in the past, conducting B-52 bomber jet exercises.

Last year, a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber alighted on Diego Garcia for refuelling, and in 2022 a ballistic missile submarine stopped in port.

These nuclear exercises face suspension if the Chagos Islands deal goes ahead.

Washington has already expressed concerns over the deal, with Trump last week blasting the giveaway as an ‘act of great stupidity’.

On Friday, the deal was thrown into chaos, with the Tories warning that it could violate a separate 1966 US-UK treaty that declared Diego Garcia would remain under British sovereignty.

These revelations forced ministers to withdraw the Chagos Islands Bill, which had been expected to be debated in the House of Lords on Monday.

If Donald Trump refuses to amend the 60-year-old treaty, the Chagos deal will collapse.