US President Joe Biden yesterday in Belfast called for an end to the political blockade in Northern Ireland, hinting that the region could receive significant US investment once the current crisis is over. “A government that works together to find ways to solve difficult problems will attract even more opportunities to this region,” he said in a speech marking the 25th anniversary of the Santa-Feira Santa agreement, which ended to three decades of sectarian violence. “The truth is that peace and economic opportunity go hand in hand,” he said.
Northern Ireland has been without a government for more than a year after DUP unionists refused to join a power-sharing government with nationalists in Sinn Féin. It is about the controversial protocol created after Brexit to avoid a physical border between Ireland, but which forced customs controls between this British province and the rest of the United Kingdom. London and Brussels have already renegotiated the protocol, but the DUP maintains its refusal.
“I hope the Assembly and the Executive are restored soon. It’s your decision, not mine, but I hope it happens,” Biden said in his speech at the campus of Belfast from the University of Ulster, who urged politicians to “keep the peace” and promised that this will “unleash this incredible economic opportunity”.
According to the chairman “In the 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland’s GDP has doubled. It has doubled. Dozens of major US companies want to invest”.
Biden traveled to Belfast with the newly appointed special envoy for economic affairs for Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy III (grandnephew of former President John F. Kennedy), who will remain in the city for a few more days. Her mission, Biden said, is “to attract more business, more investment, more opportunity” and “help realize the tremendous potential of this region.”
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson was with Biden. “I had a brief conversation with the president and he made it clear that his role, as we heard in his speech, is not to make decisions for Northern Ireland’s political leaders,” he said. “But the US is ready to support Northern Ireland in any way it can. So I welcome your visit,” he added, saying he hoped “investment would flow into Northern Ireland”.
Biden’s brief visit also included breakfast with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who said UK-US relations were “in great shape”.. London rejected the idea that Biden spent less than 24 hours in the country was a sign of contempt for the so-called “special relationship”.
The US president, aged 80, then went to the Republic of Ireland, where he will stay until tomorrow, traveling through the land of his ancestors – 10 of the 16 great-great-grandparents are Irish. He will also address a joint session of the Senate and Parliament.
Source: DN
