Walking the path of peace: Lessons from the UK, Ireland and the Philippines

As Irish and British Ambassadors to the Philippines, we know that peace does not end with the signing of an agreement, it begins there. In recent weeks, we have been reflecting on our own countries’ experience of peacebuilding, and how that experience could serve to inform your journey underway in Mindanao.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought peace in Northern Ireland, reminds us that lasting peace is rarely the product of a single breakthrough moment, but of sustained dialogue, political courage and a willingness to recognize the dignity and rights of all communities. Similarly, the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro has shown how negotiated settlements must be followed by the long, determined work of implementation. Today, the BARMM is establishing a comprehensive autonomous parliamentary government, debating laws, wielding true fiscal power and charting its own future. Before 2014, those things felt like a distant aspiration.

Today, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is no longer just an aspiration, it is a functioning reality. But as we know from our own histories in the United Kingdom and Ireland, signing a peace agreement is not the finishing line. It is merely the laying of the foundation for the much harder work of governance.

In January, we were honored to bring two giants of that shared history to the Philippines: Ireland’s former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern and Scotland’s former First Minister Lord Jack McConnell. They traveled as partners who had walked this path before. They led their respective countries through the turbulent, transformative years of devolution and the implementation of the Northern Ireland peace process. They know that peace is not a sprint, it is a marathon, often run on uneven ground.

Their visit comes at a pivotal moment. The Bangsamoro transition is entering its most critical stretch. As steadfast partners in this process, we see both the remarkable progress and the challenges that require sustained commitment in the years ahead.

Lord McConnell’s experience in establishing the Scottish Parliament resonates deeply with the work of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA). We commend the BTA for passing important legislation, such as the administrative, civil service, local governance and electoral codes. These are the building blocks of democratic self-rule.

However, a parliament’s ultimate strength comes from the mandate of its people. The postponement of the first parliamentary elections, now scheduled for 2026, was a legal necessity, yet the people of the Bangsamoro must not be made to wait any longer to cast their votes. Credible, inclusive and peaceful elections in 2026 are the cornerstone of the region’s legitimacy. We urge all parties to ensure these polls proceed without further delay, securing the democratic foundation the Bangsamoro people deserve.

Bertie Ahern’s work on the Good Friday Agreement reminds us that dialogue and trust is the currency of peace. Underpinning the Good Friday Agreement was the idea that conflict had persisted for 30 years, not only because of violence, but because sections of society felt excluded, unrepresented and unable to pursue their aspirations through peaceful means. An Agreement which recognized their right to live a life of dignity, and with a political architecture that valued input from across the community divide, is what allowed for the nearly 28 years of peace that followed.

We know from the Northern Ireland experience that implementation gaps can quickly breed cynicism. When peace dividends fail to reach the ground, it is easy for frustration to set in. The solution is not to walk away, but to lean in. We hope the national government and the MILF leadership remain at the table, resolve the impasse on normalization and restore the momentum that has enabled this progress.

Finally, true peace cannot be built by only half the population. The Philippines has long been a global leader on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, a legacy we proudly support through our own projects. Yet, women’s representation in the formal peace mechanisms and the parliament remains too low. For the peace to endure, women must not just be beneficiaries of the transition, they must be its architects.

The United Kingdom and Ireland remain committed to the Bangsamoro. We have seen in Northern Ireland the value of our international partners’ support through the process. The world is watching, and we are cheering for your success. The journey is long, but the destination – a peaceful, thriving Bangsamoro – is worth every step.

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Sarah Hulton OBE is the British Ambassador to the Philippines; Emma Hickey is the Irish Ambassador to the Philippines.