What is the Good Friday Agreement?

The Good Friday Agreement brought peace to Northern Ireland after three decades of violence between the Catholic and Protestant factions. More than 3,500 people died in this conflict, including over 1,800 civilians. The peace deal was signed on April 10, 1998. It was concluded between Northern Ireland’s political parties, as well as the British and Irish governments.

The Good Friday Agreement included commitments to the disbanding of paramilitary organisations and the normalisation of security arrangements. It was approved in referendums both in the Republic of Ireland (Eire) and Northern Ireland (Ulster). It helped set up the power-sharing Assembly in Northern Ireland between Sinn Fein (the nationalist party) and the DUP (the Democratic Unionist Party). It also included an arrangement for cross-border cooperation between the governments of Ireland and Northern Ireland. deal ici, accord. commitment promesse, engagement / disbanding démantèlement / powersharing Assembly ici, assemblée décentralisée.