This paper provides an overview of the transition from armed conflict to peace in Northern
Ireland between 1994 and 2016. It discusses the main stages of the peace process and the main
elements of the peace agreement in relation to the development of global thinking around
peacebuilding as set out in the United Nations 1992 report Agenda for Peace and the 2000
Brahimi Report. The paper argues that while Northern Ireland is often highlighted as a positive
example of peacebuilding, its example is not without limitations. Overall, the experience of the
past twenty years emphasizes the importance of ensuring a broadly inclusive process and the
need for a sustained commitment over a long period.