Recently, the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement was held in Belfast with the presence of current US President Joe Biden, British King Charles, former US President Bill Clinton, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Irish Prime Minister Bertie. Ahern. In this article you will know everything about the Good Friday Agreement.
What is the Good Friday Agreement?
Also known as the Belfast Agreement, the Good Friday Agreement is a peace treaty signed on 10 April 1998 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was an agreement between the British and Irish governments aimed at ending the sectarian violence that had plagued Northern Ireland for decades, commonly known as “The Troubles”. Some of the deal’s negotiators included British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and George Mitchell, then-US President Bill Clinton’s messenger.
What is the problem?
In 1921, Northern Ireland was created and remained part of the United Kingdom as the rest of Ireland became an independent country. This led to a split in the population between unionists who wanted Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom and nationalists who wanted it to become part of the Republic of Ireland. Although Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom, tensions between armed groups on both sides such as the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) have increased and have led to clashes. bombs and shootings on a large scale. These tensions lasted nearly 30 years and claimed the lives of more than 3,500 people.
What does the Good Friday Agreement suggest?
The Good Friday Agreement suggests the idea of cooperation between communities. It established a new government for Northern Ireland, representing both unionists and nationalists. This government will hold power over most local affairs while the British government will manage foreign policy, security, tax laws and immigration regulations. Furthermore, on 22 May 1998, in an Irish-Northern Ireland referendum, the agreement received the approval of 94% of voters in Ireland and 71% in Northern Ireland.
What is the current status of the Good Friday Agreement?
Ending the bloodshed was one of the most important achievements of the Good Friday Agreement. However, after Brexit, Northern Ireland became the only part of the UK to have a land border with a European Union country, Ireland. Due to different EU and UK product standards, testing will be important before goods can move from Northern Ireland to Ireland. Both sides agreed that this should not happen on the Irish border because of history and peace that had been established after a long struggle. Therefore, it has been finally decided that testing will be carried out between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This decision was opposed by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and as a result the party continued to boycott Stormont.
What was done to resolve the crisis?
To resolve this crisis, Britain and the EU in February agreed on the Northern Ireland Protocol. Goods are now checked to ensure they comply with EU regulations when arriving in Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. The plan was supported by the nationalist Sinn Féin party however the Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) move weakened the deal as it distinguished them from the rest of the UK.
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Source: pagasa.edu.vn