The restoration of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing assembly at Stormont has been a long-standing challenge, but former US President Bill Clinton believes it can be achieved with ease if there is a genuine desire to do so. Clinton made his remarks during a recent visit to Belfast, where he spoke about the potential for continued peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland. In this article, we’ll explore the key reasons why restoration is essential, what the key obstacles are, and how Clinton’s comments might help to chart a path forward for the region.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has spoken out about the restoration of Stormont, Northern Ireland’s devolved government, during a recent visit to Belfast. Speaking at an event celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Clinton said that restoring Stormont “can fairly easily be done if we want to,” but added that it was up to the people of Northern Ireland to make it happen.
Clinton was one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, which brought an end to decades of violence and sectarianism in Northern Ireland. The agreement, which was brokered with the support of Irish political figures such as John Hume and David Trimble, established a devolved government system in Northern Ireland, with power shared between unionist and nationalist parties.
However, in January 2017, the power-sharing agreement collapsed, following a scandal over a green energy scheme. Since then, Northern Ireland has been without a functioning government, and attempts at restoration have so far failed.
Clinton said that he believed the main barrier to restoring Stormont was a lack of trust between the parties involved. He cited the example of the 1990s peace process, when he and other leaders were able to build trust between unionists and nationalists through sustained dialogue and negotiation.
“I don’t think there’s any new problem that can’t be solved if we have the will to do it,” he said. “But we have to have mutual respect and trust.”
Clinton was also keen to praise the efforts of figures such as John Hume and David Trimble, who put their political careers on the line in the pursuit of peace. He said that Hume and Trimble were “true heroes” who had helped to make the Good Friday Agreement a reality.
“They paid a big price for their leadership, but they did it because they believed that the alternative was chaos and suffering,” Clinton said. “We should honor their legacy by continuing their work and building on the progress that has been made.”
Political stability was also on the agenda during a recent visit to Northern Ireland by U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Woody Johnson. Speaking in Belfast, Johnson said that economic progress in Northern Ireland depended on political stability, and stressed the importance of restoring Stormont.
“We want to see Northern Ireland continue to be a prosperous and vibrant part of the United Kingdom,” he said. “But that can only happen if there is a stable and functioning government in place.”
Johnson also highlighted the importance of the U.S. government’s support for Northern Ireland, citing initiatives such as the International Fund for Ireland, which has provided funding for peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts in the region.
However, the lack of a functioning government in Northern Ireland continues to be a major source of frustration for many people in the region. In a recent op-ed for the Irish Examiner, journalist Mick Clifford argued that the best tribute to the Good Friday Agreement and its architects would be the restoration of Stormont and a return to political stability in Northern Ireland.
“Quiet normality is the loudest tribute to George Mitchell and the Good Friday Agreement,” Clifford wrote. “It is what the people of Northern Ireland deserve and what the agreement promised them. It is time to make it happen.”
