A huge financial boost to the Falklands Islands has been announced after fears were raised over the future of the area with the UK.
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has announced the award of a £20 million contract to Mitie for crucial runway repairs at the RAF’s Mount Pleasant Complex in the Falkland Islands.
According to the DIO, the project, set to start soon, will focus on resurfacing key parts of the airfield to ensure its continued operational readiness.
The work will specifically target resurfacing the Foxtrot taxiway and the runway threshold, covering an area of 20,000 square metres.
This maintenance is vital for maintaining the safety of air operations at the complex, which is managed by UK Strategic Command and serves a key role in defence operations within the region.
Acknowledging the logistical challenges of conducting such a project so far from the UK, Major Brad Southall, Project Manager at the DIO, said that “working on the other side of the world requires even closer collaboration than normal.”
It comes after Keir Starmer announced that the government would be handing over control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius following negotiations that began in 2022, sparking fury.
The agreement aims to secure the future of a highly secretive military base on the island of Diego Garcia, a key asset in the Indian Ocean. However, it has resulted in the UK losing sovereign territorial control over this strategically vital land, which plays a crucial role in Western security operations in the region.
Some fear that it paves the way for China to establish its own bases in the Chagos Islands – as well as sparking fears the Falklands could also be under threat.
The decision to hand over control of the Chagos Islands has attracted criticism.
Tory MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said the decision is “completely wrong,” adding: “It will cause great unease in our people in our overseas territories, including the Falklands and Gibraltar.”
But Labour MP Tim Roca said it is wrong to compare the Chagos Islands and any other British overseas territory, telling The Independent: “To do so is simplistic and ignores the varied history and circumstances of different territories across the globe.”
He added: “Reaching this agreement is a clear message that diplomacy works – and sends a message to aggressors like Vladamir Putin that negotiation and dialogue are the ways to resolve disputes in the 21st century, not war.”