Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to return to Belfast to take part in the Good Friday Agreement commemorations as the week-long events continue. The agreement was signed 23 years ago, and Sunak’s visit to Northern Ireland is seen as a symbol of the UK’s commitment to the implementation and preservation of the historic peace deal. As Chancellor, Sunak’s role is vital in ensuring that economic stability and growth are achieved in the region, and his visit is welcomed as a show of support for the people and the future of Northern Ireland.
25 years ago, on April 10, 1998, the Good Friday Agreement was signed in Northern Ireland. The Agreement, a historic peace deal that ended decades of sectarian violence in the country, is being commemorated by a series of events this week, which are focused on peace, prosperity, and economic opportunity in Northern Ireland. As part of these celebrations, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is paying tribute to those who built the Good Friday Agreement with “courage, imagination, and perseverance.”
Mr. Sunak, who met with US President Joe Biden during his recent visit to Northern Ireland, will return to Belfast on Wednesday to give a speech at a major conference and host a gala dinner, which will include young volunteers. He will also meet with key architects of the Good Friday Agreement and representatives from the Republic and the US during his visit – his fifth to Northern Ireland since taking office.
Queen’s University is hosting a three-day conference called Agreement 25, which started on Monday, featuring speeches by former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair and former US Senator George Mitchell. The event is being hosted by former US Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton, with attendees including former US President Bill Clinton and former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
Mr. Sunak said, “This week we continue to acknowledge the courage, imagination, and perseverance of those who built the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. It gives me great pleasure to meet with some of the leading architects of peace and to commemorate those who are no longer with us.”
He added, “It is a tribute to the 1998 Agreement that we also see a younger generation of inspirational people across Northern Ireland today – those who volunteer time and effort to actively make their communities stronger.”
The events in the coming days will focus on the positive impact of the Good Friday Agreement, including the peace it has brought to Northern Ireland, the prosperity it has generated, and the economic opportunities it has created for the region. In his recent speech at Ulster University, US President Joe Biden expressed hope for a return to power-sharing in Northern Ireland, saying that a stable devolved government could deliver an economic windfall for the North.
However, the North’s power-sharing institutions are currently suspended as part of a protest by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) against post-Brexit trading arrangements. The DUP has been under pressure to restore the power-sharing government, which collapsed in 2017, with tensions heightened by Northern Ireland being separated from the rest of the UK by the Irish Sea following Brexit.
Despite the political challenges, the Good Friday Agreement remains a symbol of hope and progress for Northern Ireland. The Agreement has helped to rebuild trust and create a stable political environment, paving the way for economic and social progress. The commemorations this year are an opportunity to remember the achievements of the past and look toward a brighter future for Northern Ireland.
