UN chief says world needs spirit of Northern Ireland's Good Friday Agreement more than ever

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) – The UN chief on Tuesday marked the 25th anniversary of the agreement which ended three decades of violence in Northern Ireland, saying that with conflicts around the world, there is a continued need for its spirit.

"Your joint achievement, the Good Friday or Belfast agreements is rightly celebrated and studied by other communities in the grip of conflict, because peace was far from inevitable," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a video address to a commemorative event at Queen's University Belfast.

Guterres also praised all who devoted themselves "to finding a pathway to peace."

"And as conflicts rage around the globe, including in Europe, we need the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement more than ever," he said.

Stressing the value of the agreement, Guterres said that it shows the importance of continued engagement and efforts "even in the most adverse conditions."

"Today we recognize and thank those who opened up those horizons, creating a brighter future for all the people of Northern Ireland and an inspiring example of peace for the world," he added.

The agreement was signed April 10, 1998, by then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Unionist and Republican politicians in Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, and the Irish government.

As it brought peace to Northern Ireland after three decades of the violence, also known as "the Troubles," the landmark deal became a model studied by peacemakers around the world.