An Archive of Meetings of the APPG, Statements, Parliamentary Questions, Debates and other material is available in the APPG and Parliamentary Archive (click the link where you will be able to see the Archive contents). 

In December 2020 the APPG agreed that all correspondence with and from Ministers and officials could be made publicly available annually in January each year for the preceding year. The exception being any Ministerial letters marked "In Confidence" at the head.

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The Chagos Islands (BIOT) APPG held its 95th meeting and Inaugural Meeting of the new Parliament on 4 September.The Meeting was quorate. Jeremy Corbyn MP (Ind) was elected Chairman and Baroness Ludford (Lib-Dem), Lord Horam (Cons) and Andy McDonald MP (Lab) were elected vice-chairs, under the new rules governing APPGs. Andrew Rosindell was elected Hon President which is not a registered official position.

David Snoxell was appointed Coordinator and Richard Gifford Legal Adviser.

Members reaffirmed the purpose of the APPG which is  "To help bring about a resolution of the issues concerning the future of the Chagos Islands (BIOT) and the Chagosssians". The Group will be re-registered as an APPG with this purpose.

The next two meetings will be held on  23 October and 4 December.

David Snoxell

Coordinator

Time for an overall settlement of the future of the Chagos Islands and of the Chagos Islanders

The Chagos Islands (BIOT) APPG held its 11th AGM and 75th meeting on 17 July 2019. Members reviewed developments since their last meeting on 22 May which had coincided with the debate in the UN General Assembly on the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion of 25 February. They took note of the statements made by the Prime Minister of Mauritius and the UK Permanent Representative to the UN. They welcomed UN Resolution 73/295 on the ICJ Advisory Opinion on the legal consequences of the separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965, which the General Assembly adopted by 116 in favour, 6 against and 56 abstentions.

Recalling its statement of 21 December 2018 urging the Government to seek a resolution of the issues concerning the future of BIOT and of the Chagos Islanders the Group reaffirmed its wish to help bring about agreement between all parties on a way forward, in the light of the UNGA resolution setting a deadline of 22 November. The Group noted that the General Assembly was guided by the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, including the inalienable right of self-determination of peoples, and the obligations arising from other instruments and rules of international law.

The Group urges the next British Government to respect the will of the United Nations, the Opinion of the ICJ and the requirements of international law which from the signature of the United Nations Charter in 1945 remain the keystone of the UK’s foreign policy and commitment to international order based on the rule of law.

The APPG believes that these matters must now be addressed urgently in diplomatic discussions between the UK and Mauritius so that an outline agreement on the implementation of Resolution 73/295 can be put before the General Assembly at it 74th session beginning on 17 September. To that end the Group recommends that the next government appoints an independent special envoy to negotiate an agreement. Members look forward to discussing these issues with the next Foreign Secretary and Minister of State.

Page last updated: 6 September 2024