The Meeting among the African Union and the Mauritian legal teams on the Separation of Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965 took place from 6 to 12 April 2018 in Paris, France.

Amb Dr. Namira Negm, the Legal Counsel of the African Union met with representatives of the Government of Mauritius and a group of International lawyers who represented it in the legal proceedings before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The Legal Counsel of the African Union expressed her appreciation to the Government of Mauritius for convening this meeting to consult on the second written legal proceedings to be submitted by the African Union and Mauritius to the International Court of Justice on 15 May 2018 as set by the Court.

The meeting addressed the discussion of the procedural legal proceedings that had been deposited by the United Kingdom (UK). Moreover, the team discussed about the analysis of the other written submissions and noted with satisfaction the positive reply of the majority who made written Statements.

In addition, the team discussed the presentation of the principle of the right to self-determination optimally in international law.


The Series of meetings were held at the Headquarters of the French Branch of an American law firm working for the Mauritius Government, with the participation of the legal team, under the Chairmanship of the Legal Counsel of the African Union, which is composed of Dr. Mohamed Gomaa and Professor Makane Mbengue. The Mauritius party was represented by Amb Jagdish Koonjul the Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the United Nations in New York, Mauritius Ambassador in France , the Attorney General , adviser of the Minister of Defense , adviser in the Prime Minister’s cabinet and the legal team represented Mauritius, which is composed of Paul Reichler from the US, Alison Mcdonald, the UK, a number of professors of international law from different European Universities and a legal counsel representing the Government of Madagascar from University of Brussels. .

In conclusion, the Legal Counsel of the African Union emphasized the importance of continued coordination between the two sides, and called on Mauritius to pay greater attention to the communication aspect by drawing up a clear strategy aimed at involving media next to diplomatic means within the continent, in order to ensure the presence of a larger number of African Union Member States in the hearings and oral proceedings scheduled for 3rd of September 2018 before the International Court of Justice. They also discussed different means to coordinate with all States that supported Mauritius and the African Union in the call for the full decolonization of Mauritius.

For further information,
For Office of the Legal Counsel please contact:
Tefesehet Sime
Email: tefesehets@africa-union.org
Tel: +251 (0) 913495760

Tsion Demissie
Email: tbheregano@africa-union.org
Tel: +251 (0) 913026667
And
Meseret Fassil
Email: MeseretF@africa-union.org
Tel: +251 (0) 943305123

Media Contact:
Mrs. Esther Azaa Tankou| Head of Information Division | African Union Commission | Tel: +251 (0) 911361185 | E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org |