UK Delegation in Mauritius to Plan Chagos Marine Protected Area

A high-level British delegation is currently visiting Mauritius to assess maritime security requirements ahead of the establishment of the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area (CAMPA) — a landmark conservation zone that will sit at the heart of the two countries' evolving relationship over the Chagos Islands. The delegation includes senior officials from the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Ministry of Defence, the National Police Chiefs' Council, and the Marine Management Organisation — the body responsible for managing UK marine resources. They were accompanied by British High Commissioner to Mauritius, Paul Brummell. During the visit, the delegation met with Mauritius Attorney General Gavin Glover and Dr Rezah Badal, Director General of the Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration and Exploration Department within the Prime Minister's Office — the key Mauritian government body overseeing offshore maritime affairs. **What Is CAMPA?** CAMPA — the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area — is a proposed large-scale marine conservation zone covering the waters of the Chagos Archipelago in the central Indian Ocean. The archipelago, which includes Diego Garcia, has been at the centre of a long-running sovereignty dispute between Mauritius and the United Kingdom. Under a framework agreement reached in 2024, the UK and Mauritius agreed in principle that Mauritius would assume sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, while the UK and US would retain use of the Diego Garcia military base under a long-term lease. CAMPA is a central pillar of that agreement. As the future coastal state responsible for the archipelago, Mauritius would play a lead role in managing the marine protected area — one of the largest in the world — and protecting the Indian Ocean ecosystem around it. **Why This Visit Matters** This assessment mission falls under the Mauritius-UK Strategic Partnership Framework, specifically its security pillar. The goal is to identify what Mauritius will need — in terms of capacity, equipment, legal frameworks, and cooperation mechanisms — to effectively police and manage CAMPA once sovereignty arrangements are formalised. For Mauritius, this represents both an environmental responsibility and a strategic opportunity. Managing a vast marine protected area in the Indian Ocean would significantly raise the country's profile as a serious maritime nation and conservation partner. **What This Means** For Mauritians and the diaspora, this visit signals that practical preparations for the Chagos transition are actively moving forward — not just at the diplomatic level, but on the ground. If CAMPA is established under Mauritian oversight, it will require new institutions, trained personnel, patrol capabilities, and international partnerships. The UK's involvement in this early assessment phase suggests both sides remain committed to making the arrangement work, despite the political sensitivities that have surrounded the Chagos deal. Source: ION News