The US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, Sergio Gor, is scheduled to visit the Maldives on an official visit.
According to a media note from the US State Department, Gor will visit the Maldives and Sri Lanka from March 19 to 24 "for high-level engagements focused on advancing cooperation in the Indian Ocean region."
"In Maldives, Special Envoy Gor will meet with senior government officials to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to the bilateral relationship, advance security cooperation, and explore opportunities to support Maldives’ efforts to promote its critical infrastructure and expand its economy, as well as to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic ties," the note read.
A special US envoy is visiting the Maldives amid the US-Israel attacks against Iran. Both the Maldives and the US have interests in the Chagos territory dispute.
The UK, which has sovereignty over the Chagos, has decided to cede it to Mauritius. This decision was rejected by President Mohamed Muizzu's administration.
US President Donald Trump has also changed his stance on the deal four times. Initially, he expressed US support for the agreement, but he did not agree to cede Chagos to Mauritius.
Diego Garcia, an island in the Chagos, is home to a key British and American military base. The UK signed an agreement with Mauritius that included a clause to operate the military base in Diego Garcia for the next 90 years.
Muizzu's government believes that the Maldives deserves sovereignty over Chagos. Some media reports say the government is preparing to take legal action to prevent the implementation of the agreement between the UK and Mauritius.
The most important part of the government's current claim to Chagos is that King Hassan IX, one of the greatest traitors in the country's history, wrote to the Portuguese that Chagos was part of the Maldives.
In an interview with Newsweek magazine in early February, Muizzu said the US would be allowed to operate the military base if the Maldives were given sovereignty over Chagos.
However, the US government has not officially commented on the deal. The government is likely to formally present the deal again during the Special Envoy's visit.
Muizzu had earlier said that the relationship between the Maldives and the United States is important to maintain stability in the Indian Ocean.
"The relationship between the Maldives and the United States is crucial, in upholding a rule-based international order in the Indian Ocean," Muizzu stated during his speech at the Deans Leadership Series of Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs.
While the government attaches great importance to strengthening relations between the United States and the Maldives, a survey conducted by the Baani Centre found that Maldivians are least disposed towards the United States.
The United States scored 3.5 out of 10 in the survey.
The US government has been sending diplomats to countries to seek political and military support for the Iran war. The first statement issued by the Maldives government did not name the United States and Israel, which initiated the attacks.
Special Envoy Sergio Gor works under Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He was appointed to the position by Trump. Sergio Gor is also the US Ambassador to neighbouring India.
