Biden to Visit Northern Ireland for Peace Deal Commemoration

President Joe Biden will visit Northern Ireland next week to commemorate the historic Good Friday Agreement (GFA) that brought an end to 30 years of violence in the region. Despite warnings by UK intelligence about a potential terror threat, President Biden remains determined to mark the 25th anniversary of the peace agreement.

The visit will take place from April 11th to April 22nd, and during his stay, President Biden will travel to Belfast to reinforce the support of the United States in the economic potential of Northern Ireland.

The GFA was signed in April of 1998, which halted years of violence over the question of whether Northern Ireland would remain in the UK or become a part of Ireland.

Although the GFA brought peace, the potential for conflict remains ever-present. UK intelligence raised the terror threat level in Northern Ireland in March from “substantial” to “severe”. Nonetheless, President Biden, who is of Irish heritage, remains steadfast that the terror threat won’t affect his travel plans.

Following his stay in Northern Ireland, the president will then travel to Ireland from April 12th to April 14th to discuss international cooperation between Ireland and the US.

The former President, Bill Clinton, who partially brokered the GFA deal in 1998, will attend the GFA anniversary event alongside Biden.

Northern Ireland Conflict and GFA Agreement

The conflict in Northern Ireland stems from religious differences, with Protestants historically subjugating the native Irish Catholic population. After Irish independence in the 1920s, the island was split into the Republic of Ireland (which makes up the majority) and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland is primarily Protestant, and over the years, tensions have risen as to whether the region would remain under the rule of the UK or unite with Ireland.