UNITED NATIONS, United States – In a stinging defeat for Britain, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly demanded Wednesday that London cede to Mauritius the British-ruled Chagos Islands, home to an important military base. A total of 116 countries voted in favor of a non-binding resolution presented by African countries that urged Britain to “withdraw its colonial administration” from the Chagos Islands within six months. Only six countries, including Britain and the United States, voted against the measure in the 193-nation assembly while 56 others abstained, including Canada, France and Germany. It was the second time in two years that Britain has had to defend its rule of the Chagos Islands at the United Nations. In 2017, only 15 countries including Britain and the US voted to oppose a request for the ICJ ruling.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 22, 2019 21:33 UTC