Muizzu invites Burnham for talks over Chagos

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) invited British Prime Minister Andrew Burnham for talks on the disputed Chagos Islands .

In a letter to the British Prime Minister, President Muizzu “expressed the Maldives’ concerns regarding the United Kingdom’s decision to proceed with the handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius”, his office said in a statement.

In May 2025, Britain signed an agreement with Mauritius to transfer sovereignty over the contested and strategically located Chagos Islands, saying the move would ensure the future of a U.S.-U.K. military base vital to British security. U.S. President Donald Trump criticised the agreement, calling it “a big mistake”. In April this year, however, the British government put on hold its deal to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands — home to the ‌U.S.-British Diego Garcia air base — and shelved the legislation needed for the move.