The U.K. says it has reached a "historic" deal to cede the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean to the Republic of Mauritius, thus surrendering the final colony of Britain's once-sprawling African empire.

The Republic of Mauritius and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) have, today, reached an agreement on the exercise of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. This marks yet another historical day for our country following its independence 56 years ago.

The Republic of Mauritius will regain sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, a group of remote but strategically important islands in the Indian Ocean, after more than half a century, the Mauritian Prime Minister’s Office announced on Thursday, reported Xinhua.