British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has praised the Good Friday Agreement, ahead of US President Joe Biden’s visit to mark the 25th anniversary of its signing.
In a statement, Mr Sunak said “making good” on the pledge of a “better future” for Northern Ireland is first and foremost on his mind ahead of the anniversary.
Signed on 10 April 1998, the agreement ended the 30-year conflict of the Troubles, during which more than 3,500 people were killed.
He said: “It is that promise of a better future that we offered to everyone in Northern Ireland that I will be thinking of first and foremost over the coming days.
“It is my responsibility as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to ensure we are making good on that promise.”
Mr Sunak said the signing of the Good Friday Agreement was an “incredible moment”.
He said: “It was a powerfully rare example of people doing the previously unthinkable to create a better future for Northern Ireland.”
Mr Sunak said he is “relentlessly focused” on delivering economic growth for Northern Ireland, which he said is crucial to improving living standards.
Mr Sunak will meet Joe Biden off Air Force One when he arrives on Tuesday evening.
Mr Biden will take part in a series of engagements in Belfast including a formal meeting with Mr Sunak.
He will leave Northern Ireland on Wednesday and will visit Dublin, Co Louth and Co Mayo.
Rishi Sunak is expected to use Mr Biden’s visit to drum up long-term investment for Northern Ireland and announce that the UK will host a Northern Ireland Investment Summit in September.
Mr Sunak will also address the “Agreement 25” conference at Queen’s University on Wednesday before hosting a gala dinner.
Yesterday, the Catholic Primate of All Ireland prayed that the 25th anniversary of the agreement will be a catalyst for greater engagement in the unfinished work of peace, healing, and reconciliation.
In his Easter message, Archbishop Eamon Martin said the Agreement’s vision of a peaceful and reconciled society had not yet been accomplished.
A major policing operation costing around £7m and backed up by around 300 officers travelling from other parts of the UK will be under way around the anniversary.
The PSNI has warned of the potential of dissident republicans launching attacks on police officers in Derry on Easter Monday.
MI5 recently raised the terrorism threat in Northern Ireland level to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely.
Sunak pledges to fulfil ‘promise’ of GFA in NI
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