President Biden lands in Belfast for trip commemorating Good Friday Agreement

President Biden landed in Belfast on Tuesday at the start of a four-day visit commemorating the 25th anniversary of a historic peace deal.

Biden, who has Irish ancestry himself, was greeted by British Minister Rishi Sunak when he landed at Belfast International Airport, according to reports.

The Good Friday Agreement, signed in 1998, helped end 30 years of continuous conflict in Northern Ireland.

Although the White House has praised the “tremendous progress” in the territory since the agreement was signed, Biden’s visit comes as Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government is in a state of disarray.

For Biden’s arrival, a massive security operation has been underway attempting to ensure a smooth visit.

Britain’s domestic intelligence service MI5 recently reported that the terrorism threat in Northern Ireland had increased.

During an illegal parade Monday in the Northern Ireland city of Londonderry, petrol bombs were thrown at a police vehicle. On Tuesday, cops discovered four suspected pipe bombs.

Still, the White House insisted Biden is “more than comfortable making this trip.”

He’ll be accompanied by his sister, Valerie and son, Hunter, and plans to make time to visit some of his Irish relatives.

Before leaving the States, Biden expressed the hope that his visit would underscore “the U.S. commitment to preserving peace and encouraging prosperity.”

The president is scheduled to give a speech Wednesday at Ulster University in Belfast. He is expected to discuss his plan for preserving the peace that was established since the Good Friday Agreement, as well as address how the U.S. can support Northern Ireland economically.

With News Wire Services