BELFAST: US President Joe Biden visited Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of peace in Belfast. During his visit, he urged Northern Irish political leaders to restore their power-sharing government, which has not met for over a year due to a row about post-Brexit trade arrangements. Biden promised that scores of major US corporations were ready to invest in the region, stating that "Today's Belfast is the beating heart of Northern Ireland and is poised to drive unprecedented economic opportunity."
The 1998 peace accord was largely backed by the US and largely ended 30 years of
bloodshed between mainly Catholic nationalist opponents and mainly Protestant unionist
supporters of British rule. However, political progress has been held back by a
series of rows, including how Brexit affects the border with EU member Ireland.
Biden emphasized the critical role that powersharing plays in the future of Northern
Ireland and called for an effective devolved government that would "draw
even greater opportunity in this region." He expressed hope that the
assembly and the executive will soon be restored, acknowledging that it is a
judgment for the Northern Irish to make.
Biden noted that the recent Windsor Framework deal between the European Union and Britain to ease post-Brexit trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom offered the stability and predictability needed to encourage greater investment. However, the deal has failed to convince the region's largest pro-British party, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), to end its boycott of the local assembly. Power-sharing has endured multiple breakdowns and suspensions since 1998. (Courtesy: Reuters and Dawn.pk)
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| Image Credit: Google |
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