Rome wasn't built in a day and the Good Friday Agreement is not going to turn Irish history on its head, even after 28 years.
But the agreement has turned Ireland in a new direction and continues to do so.
It has turned the island in the direction of a peaceful resolution of differences, and while it has faced challenges, the agreement, reached on April 10, 1998, continues to be a North Star for all those who are dedicated to a better island of Ireland, for all those who call the island home, and for all those around the world who care about Ireland's future.
That said, the agreement should not be allowed to gather dust. It needs to be continually supported across a broad spectrum and applied in multiple contexts.
One way that the GFA can be supported is by the attention of a U.S. Special Envoy.
We used to have those, but now we do not.
Over a year ago, in February, 2025 to be precise, members of Congress from both parties called on President Trump to appoint a Special Envoy for Northern Ireland.
A letter crafted by Massachusetts Congressman William Keating invited congressional colleagues "to join me in sending a letter to President Trump urging the appointment of a Special Envoy to Northern Ireland to strengthen our trade and investment ties and further peace and reconciliation efforts in Northern Ireland."
Rep. Keating, the Ranking Member of Subcommittee on Europe on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, stated in part: "As bipartisan supporters of the U.S. relationship with Northern Ireland, we urge you to appoint a President’s Special Envoy for Northern Ireland to strengthen our trade and investment ties and further peace and reconciliation efforts in Northern Ireland.
"Almost 27 years ago, representatives of the political parties in Northern Ireland as well as the UK and Irish governments signed the Good Friday Agreement, a historic effort, facilitated by the United States, to bring peace and stability to Northern Ireland and end 30 years of violence during the Troubles.
"Today, the Good Friday Agreement remains the bedrock of peace and has served as a conduit for change, investment, reconciliation, and peaceful governance in Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement and the principle of consent as well as the North-South and East-West institutions it established have also strengthened relations between the UK and Irish governments as well as between those in power on the island of Ireland. These institutions only serve to help the people of Northern Ireland.
"Today, Northern Ireland sits at the center of both the United Kingdom and European Union markets and has made tremendous political progress, both since the restoration of devolved government last year and in the nearly 27 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
"Yet, Northern Ireland still faces many challenges including promoting further economic development as well as peace and reconciliation efforts. The uniquely influential role of Special Envoy for Northern Ireland is essential not only to promote U.S. interests in the region but also to help the people of Northern Ireland build on the legacy of the Good Friday Agreement and overcome these ongoing challenges with an eye to a more prosperous future."
Those words still apply today. Just move 27 years on to 28.
Linking the GFA with a U.S. envoy makes sense.
The United States, after all, is a primary guarantor of the agreement and the kind of clear cut demonstration of interest and engagement that an envoy would bring to the table would serve to underpin the status of what is formally known as the Belfast Agreement, this as it nears its 30th anniversary in 2028.
Alas, the envoy post has been vacant since Joe Kennedy III tendered his resignation to President Biden in December, 2024.
Kennedy's primary focus was on aiding economic ties between the U.S. and the North but that entailed day to day support for the GFA as a foundation for those economic ties - and so much else.
The United States, even in its present most distracted state, can still walk and chew gum at the same time. So time now for a new envoy, one who can help steer the Good Friday Agreement to its standout three decade anniversary a mere two years from now.
