US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will attend the Commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the Agreement on Good Friday
Northern Ireland celebrates its 25th anniversary this Monday of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, surrounded by tight security due to the terrorist threat from dissidents from the dormant IRA and the visit of US President Joe Biden, a staunch supporter of the peace process.
Historic visit amid political tensions
Biden, of Irish originand British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will arrive in Belfast on Tuesday afternoon to commemorate for two days the historic pact signed on April 10, 1998, which ended a conflict that left more than 3,500 dead in almost 30 years. .
The US president is scheduled to deliver a speech at the new Ulster University campus in Belfast and travel to Dublin on Wednesday to continue his four-day tour of the island in the Republic of Ireland.
Biden’s visit to Northern Ireland has generated more enthusiasm among the pro-Irish nationalist community than in the Protestant unionist. Local media report a tense climate between the UK and US governments due to the Brexit management, especially during Boris Johnson’s tenure.
Pressure and commitment to the peace process
Biden has recently pressured Northern Irish politicians to agree to the formation of a joint Executive, which is interpreted by unionism as an attempt to interfere in the affairs of the British province.
The Irish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Micheál Martin, has denied tensions and highlighted the President’s “commitment” to “the entire island of Ireland”.
Unprecedented security device
Biden’s passage through the region has led the Autonomous Police (PSNI) to design the “greater security device” in almost 10 years, which is estimated to cost around 8 million euros. Anti-terrorism measures have been strengthened and an additional 300 troops have been added from the rest of the United Kingdom.
Law enforcement have reported that they have “reliable intelligence information” about plans by dissident Republican groups to attack on Easter Monday. The PSNI is especially concerned about the events scheduled in Derry (west), since they could lead to riots, such as those that occurred in that town in 2019 that resulted in the murder of the journalist Lyra McKee.
The British government raised the level of the terrorist threat in Northern Ireland from “considerable” to “serious” in March due to the danger of actions by republican dissidents.
