Disputes over territory seem to be the new norm in transatlantic relations: after fears over the world’s largest island Greenland rattled the entirety of Europe, the fate of a small archipelago in the Indian Ocean has worsened US-UK relations. In 2024, the United Kingdom reached an agreement with Mauritius, transferring sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago to the latter. Earlier, President Trump applauded the deal – but he has since backtracked and demands that the UK keep sovereignty over the group of islands. What’s the trouble with Chagos? And why has its status been disputed for decades? We are breaking down the background of this conflict with Professor Thomas Burri who has been following the story of Chagos for several years.

Professor Thomas Burri is the co-editor of The International Court of Justice and Decolonisation: New Directions from the Chagos Advisory Opinion and has started a series of papers on “Phenomenological Law,” focusing first on the case of Chagos. Since 2011, he has been teaching International and European Law at the University of St.Gallen where he received the Impact Award for launching «The First University of St.Gallen Grand Challenge – The EU A.I. Act 2023.» Professor Burri received his education at University of Zurich (Dr. iur.), in Bruges (College of Europe, LLM), Basel and Paris (Lic. iur., University of Basel).

Recommendations:

1. Philippe Sands, The Last Colony
2. David Vine, Island of Shame