What is the Good Friday Agreement? All you need to know

Recently the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement was celebrated in Belfast marked by the presence of Current US President Joe Biden, Britain’s King Charles, former US president Bill Clinton, former Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair, and former Prime Minister of Ireland Bertie Ahern. In this article, you will get to 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 April 10, 1998, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was an agreement between the British and Irish governments that  aimed to end the sectarian violence that had plagued Northern Ireland for decades, commonly known as "The Troubles."  Some of the negotiators of this agreement included British Prime Minister Tony Blair, previous Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, and George Mitchell who was the messenger of then-US President Bill Clinton. 

What were the Troubles?

In 1921, Northern Ireland was created and it remained part of the UK when the rest of Ireland became an independent state. This led to a division in the population between unionists, who wished Northern Ireland to stay a part of the UK, and nationalists who wanted it to become a part of the Republic of Ireland. Although Northern Ireland remained with the UK, the tensions among the armed groups from both sides such as Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) rose and resulted in widespread bombings and shootings.  These tensions lasted for almost 30 years and took the lives of more than 3,500 people.

What did the Good Friday Agreement suggest? 

The Good Friday Agreement suggests the idea of cooperation among the communities.  It set up a new government for Northern Ireland that will be the representation of both unionists and nationalists. This government will hold the power over most local matters while the UK government would look after foreign policy, security, tax laws, and immigration rules.  Further, on May 22, 1998, in a referendum between Ireland and Northern Ireland, the agreement gained the approval of 94% of voters in Ireland and 71% in Northern Ireland. 

What is the current status of the Good Friday Agreement? 

The end of blood spread was one of the most significant achievements of the Good Friday Agreement. However, after Brexit, Northern Ireland became the only part of the UK that possessed a land border with a European Union country, Ireland. Due to the variable product standards of the EU and the UK, checks would be important before goods could move from Northern Ireland to Ireland. Both sides agreed that this should not happen on the Irish border given the history and peace established after the long struggle. Thus, it was finalized that the checks would be conducted between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This decision was opposed by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and as a result, it continues to boycott Stormont.   

What has been done to solve the crisis? 

To solve this crisis, the UK and the EU in February agreed on the Northern Ireland Protocol. Goods are now checked to ensure that they are following EU rules upon their arrival in Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. This plan has been supported by the nationalist Sinn Féin party however the Unionist party Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) this act weaken the agreement as it distinguishes them from the rest of the UK.