12-04-23, 01:28
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re: US President Joe Biden & UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Arrive in Belfast
US President Joe Biden & UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast to Mark 25th Anniversary of Good Friday Agreement
US President Joe Biden has joined UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast at the start of an historic four-day visit to Northern Ireland and the Republic.
BBC 12 APR 2023
US President Joe Biden is greeted by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Belfast International Airport on Tuesday night
US President Joe Biden has landed in Belfast at the start of an historic four-day visit to Northern Ireland and the Republic.
Mr Biden was greeted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he stepped off Air Force One at Belfast International Airport.
His visit marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement - a peace deal which helped end 30 years of violent conflict in Northern Ireland.
The White House hailed the "tremendous progress" since it was signed in 1998.
But Mr Biden's trip is overshadowed by the fact that Northern Ireland's power-sharing government is not functioning.
It collapsed last year when the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - one of the biggest parties at Stormont - pulled out as part of a protest against post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland.
Mr Biden arrived in Belfast city centre at about 22:20 BST after making the journey from the airport in his presidential motorcade.
A huge security operation has been in place for most of Tuesday, with many city centre streets closed ahead of the visit.
Ahead of his arrival, Mr Biden said he was looking forward to marking the anniversary in Belfast and "underscoring the US commitment to preserving peace and encouraging prosperity".
His trip to Belfast will be the first leg of a four-day stay in Ireland, during which he will also discuss his Irish roots and meet Irish relatives. His sister Valerie and his son Hunter are also accompanying the US president on the visit.
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