Chagos Marine Protected Area Arbitration (Mauritius v. United Kingdom)

Pursuant to Article 287 and Annex VII, Article 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, on 20 December 2010 the Republic of Mauritius instituted arbitral proceedings concerning the establishment by the United Kingdom of a Marine Protected Area around the Chagos Archipelago. The Permanent Court of Arbitration acted as Registry in this arbitration.


Case information

Name(s) of Claimant(s) The Republic of Mauritius (State)
Name(s) of Respondent(s) The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (State)
Names of Parties -
Case number 2011-03
Administering institution Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
Case status Concluded
Type of case Inter-state arbitration
Subject matter or economic sector Law of the sea
Procedural rules - Other -
Treaty or contract under which proceedings were commenced

Multilateral treaty
UNCLOS

Language of Proceeding -
Seat of Arbitration (by Country) -
Arbitrator(s), Conciliator(s), Other Neutral(s)

Professor Ivan Shearer (President)
Judge Sir Christopher Greenwood CMG QC
Judge Albert Hoffmann
Judge James Kateka
Judge Rüdiger Wolfrum

Representatives of the Claimant(s)

Agent

Mr. Dheerendra Kumar Dabee SC

Solicitor-General of Mauritius

 

Deputy Agent

Ms. Aruna Devi Narain

Parliamentary Counsel

 

Counsel

Professor James Crawford AC, SC, FBA

University of Cambridge

 

Professor Philippe Sands QC

Ms. Alison Macdonald

Matrix Chambers

 

Mr. Paul S. Reichler

Mr. Andrew Loewenstein

Foley Hoag LLP

Representatives of the Respondent(s)

Agent

Ms. Alice Lacourt

Legal Counsellor

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Replacing Mr. Christopher A. Whomersley CMG

Deputy Legal Adviser

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

 

Deputy Agent

Ms. Nicola Smith

Assistant Legal Adviser

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Replacing  Ms. Margaret Purdasy

Assistant Legal Adviser

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

 

Counsel

The Rt. Hon. Dominic Grieve QC, MP

Her Majesty's Attorney General

 

Professor Alan Boyle

University of Edingurgh and Essex Court Chambers

 

Ms. Penelope Nevill

20 Essex Street Chambers


Ms. Amy Sander

Essex Court Chambers

 

Sir Michael Wood KCMG

20 Essex Street Chambers

 

Mr. Samuel Wordsworth QC

Essex Court Chambers

Representatives of the Parties
Number of Arbitrators in case 5
Date of commencement of proceeding 20 December 2010
Date of issue of final award 18 March 2015
Length of Proceedings More than 4 years
Additional notes -

Documents

Notice of Arbitration
Notice of Arbitration
Written submission
Memorial of Mauritius
Memorial of Mauritius: Annexes 1-80
Memorial of Mauritius: Annexes 81-171
Memorial of Mauritius: Charts
Preliminary Objections of the United Kingdom
Preliminary Objections of the United Kingdom: Annexes 1-22
Written Observations of Mauritius on the Question of Bifurcation
UK Reply on Bifurcation
UK Reply on Bifurcation - Exhibits
Counter-Memorial of the United Kingdom
Counter-Memorial of the United Kingdom: Annexes 1-27
Counter-Memorial of the United Kingdom: Annexes 28-46
Counter-Memorial of the United Kingdom: Annexes 47-69
Counter-Memorial of the United Kingdom: Annexes 70-88
Counter-Memorial of the United Kingdom: Annexes 89-121
Counter-Memorial of the United Kingdom: Annexes 122-124
Counter-Memorial of the United Kingdom: Annex 125
Counter-Memorial of the United Kingdom: Annexes 126-128
Counter-Memorial of the United Kingdom: Annexes 129-135
Reply of Mauritius
Reply of Mauritius: Annexes 1-50
Reply of Mauritius: Annexes 51-90
Reply of Mauritius: Annexes 91-146 (Partial)
Reply of Mauritius: Annexes 147-184 (Partial)
Rejoinder of the United Kingdom
Rejoinder of the United Kingdom: Annexes 1-50
Rejoinder of the United Kingdom: Annexes 51-80
Procedural Documents
Rules of Procedure
Procedural Order No.1
Procedural Order No.2
Award or other decision
Award
Dissenting and Concurring Opinion of Judges Kateka and Wolfrum
Press Release
Press Release dated 22 January 2013
Press Release dated 16 May 2014
Press Release and Summary of Award dated 19 March 2015
Other
Reasoned Decision on Challenge
Image
Photo of 11 January 2013 Hearing
Photo of 11 January 2013 Hearing
Photo of 11 January 2013 Hearing
Photo of the April/May 2014 Hearing
Photo of the April/May 2014 Hearing
Photo of the April/May 2014 Hearing
Photo of the April/May 2014 Hearing
Transcript/Minutes
Bifurcation Hearing Transcript
Hearing Transcript (Day 1)
Hearing Transcript (Day 2)
Hearing Transcript (Day 3)
Hearing Transcript (Day 4)
Hearing Transcript (Day 5)
Hearing Transcript (Day 6)
Hearing Transcript (Day 7)
Hearing Transcript (Day 8)
Hearing Transcript (Day 9)
Hearing Transcript (Day 10)
Hearing Transcript (Day 11)