22nd November, 2019
The African Union ordered Britain, on Friday, to withdraw from the Chagos Islands and end its “continued colonial administration” after a United Nations deadline for it to do so expired.
The Chagos Islands belong to the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius, according to the advisory opinion the top U.N. court issued in February. The U.N. General Assembly in May voted in favor of Britain returning the islands to Mauritius and set a deadline for Nov. 22.
In a statement, the African Union called on Britain to comply with the U.N. resolution. Britain does not recognize Mauritius’ sovereignty claim.
“The UK has no doubt as to our sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), which has been under continuous British sovereignty since 1814,” the Foreign Office said in a statement on Nov. 5.
Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth called Britain’s refusal to give up control of the islands a violation of international law.