Dugasse, 68, has spent most of her life in the Seychelles and the U.K., wondering what it would be like to set foot on the tropical island of Diego Garcia, part of the remote cluster of atolls in the middle of the Indian Ocean called the Chagos Islands.

The islands, named after a Spanish navigator, have a basically symbolic British presence. The United Kingdom hands over the Chagos archipelago (and the massive US base on Diego Garcia island) to Mauritius (and to the Chinese fishing fleet).

As the deal is finally signed, Sean O’Grady explores what all the fuss was about – and why it makes sense to return the archipelago to its former custodian

Mauritius has said that India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has supported the signing of the agreement between the island nation and United Kingdom over the Chagos Islands. The United Kingdom signed an agreement on Thursday to hand over the sovereignty over the contested and strategically located Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he has signed an agreement handing over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has officially launched its new Travel Store in Port-Louis, Mauritius, marking a significant milestone in the airline’s commitment to enhancing travel experiences for its customers.