Refugee Chagos Group meet the Prime Minister

A meeting to exchange views on the Chagos Archipelago issue was held between the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, and Mr Olivier Bancoult, Chairman and Leader of the Chagos Refugees Group, at the New Treasury Building, in Port Louis.  Mr Bancoult was accompanied by other members of the Chagossian community.

Prior to the meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr Bancoult met the Minister Mentor, Minister of Defence, Minister for Rodrigues, Sir Anerood Jugnauth. In a statement, Mr Bancoult pointed out that the meetings had as objective to submit, on behalf of the Chagos Refugees Group and the Chagossian community, a draft memorandum to Government with regard to the Chagos Archipelago issue.

He announced that a working session is scheduled with the panel of international lawyers representing the Government of Mauritius for an exchange of views. On 22 June 2017, a resolution seeking the International Court of Justice advisory opinion on pre-independence separation of Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.  Statements on the issue can be presented to the Court within the set time frame of 30 January 2018.