The 1998 Good Friday Agreement ended violence in Northern Ireland. Also known as the Belfast Agreement, it was signed on 10 April 1998 after lengthy negotiations involving the British and Irish governments and most major political parties in Northern Ireland.
The agreement addressed the conflict known as the Troubles, a period of violence involving Irish republicans, British loyalists, and the security forces. It created a power-sharing system for Northern Ireland and confirmed that the region's constitutional status could change if a majority of its people chose that outcome.
The agreement also established closer cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as between the British and Irish governments. Voters approved it in referendums held in both jurisdictions in May 1998.
The accord did not make violence disappear instantly: the Omagh bombing occurred later in 1998, and dissident groups have remained active. However, it largely ended the main armed conflict and laid the foundation for Northern Ireland's modern peace process.