US President Biden arrives in Northern Ireland for peace deal anniversary

US President Joseph Biden landed in Northern Ireland on Tuesday to begin a journey commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which ended almost 30 years of civil violence, The Hill reported.

Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, met him at the airport. On Wednesday, he will spend around a half-day in the city, meeting with Sunak before travelling to Ulster University to commemorate the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. According to the White House, the president will also “engage” with the leaders of Northern Ireland’s five main political parties, although not as a group.

Monday celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which was signed on that date in April 1998 and ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland that killed 3,600 people.

The United States played a critical role in halting the carnage in Northern Ireland 25 years ago. Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, is commemorating the milestone year with a reunion of key players in the peace process and a visit by Biden.

Biden’s visit, as well as the anniversary, come at a critical time for Northern Ireland, which is grappling with the effects of Brexit on its borders and commercial relations, according to DW News.

The United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union has left Northern Ireland awkwardly poised between the rest of the United Kingdom and EU member Ireland, upsetting a delicate political balance, including the power-sharing system established by the peace accord, according to The Hill.

Deep schisms persist over the conflict’s legacy, and UK authorities raised the terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland to “severe,” in March, warning of IRA dissidents opposed to the peace process and plotting attacks.

During a dissident march in Londonderry on Monday, youths threw petrol bombs and set a police vehicle on fire, according to The Hill. Meanwhile, the UK and the EU reached a new post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland in February.