Profile of Andrew Elliott: Director of the Northern Ireland Bureau
By Mary Hendriksen
August 5th, 2024
As the Director of the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington, D.C., a diplomatic mission that extends across the US and Canada, Andrew Elliott and his staff work to cultivate and strengthen links between the political, economic, educational, and cultural interests of Northern Ireland and North America.
“My role is often to be that initial trusting connection, and then to move to the side. I firmly believe that you achieve the most good by not always needing to be in the middle of every initiative.”
Northern Ireland is currently the world’s top destination for financial services technology investment and the top international investment location for US cyber security firms. It is also a popular travel destination for Americans and Canadians—in no small part due to the wildly successful “Game of Thrones.”
Yet, with the history of conflict in Northern Ireland, the Bureau’s task is distinct in demonstrating the benefits of peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
“While we certainly acknowledge the ongoing challenges of the past for the people of Northern Ireland,” says Elliott, “our focus is also on the present and the real progress that has been made in creating a peaceful society. We also firmly believe that the lessons of what was achieved in our country can be learnt elsewhere—even in places like Ukraine and Gaza, in the right circumstances. We can offer a message of hope to countries where hope may seem in scarce supply right now.”
To that point, when asked to identify the key to peace in Northern Ireland, Elliott answers with absolutely no hesitation: “Persistence. People kept at it. They did not give up hope. And top-level leadership buy-in was key—from the UK and Ireland, of course, but also from the US and the EU in different ways.”
Given the centrality of hope and persistence in the realm of peacebuilding, a very significant moment in Elliott’s tenure was to attend the Lyric Theatre’s ”Agreement” at the Irish Arts Center in New York City this past spring. Highly acclaimed, the play is the story of the last three days of negotiations for the historic 1998 agreement.
“On one night,” he recounts, “George Mitchell, in addition to being a character in the play was also, along with Bill and Hillary Clinton, an honored member of the audience. It was a huge moment for all of us.”
After having served in government posts in Ireland and Brussels, Elliott arrived at his post at the Bureau in November 2019. He was just settling in to Washington and his role when the pandemic struck.
“In fact,” he recalls, “our Bureau’s St. Patrick’s Day breakfast in March 2020 was one of the very last large events in Washington.
“Without a doubt,” he continues, “the pandemic made my job much more difficult. Physical contact—being in the same place to build trusting relationships—is critical in the realm of public diplomacy. Our job is to build relationships, develop ideas, and ‘warm up’ connections between lands.”
As so many did throughout the world, however, Elliott and the Bureau staff adapted to a new world and made good use of the virtual space.
One of his most vivid pandemic memories is St. Patrick’s Day 2021, when the Bureau and its partners throughout Northern Ireland created a virtual celebration, in lieu of the traditional breakfast. It showcased some of the very best talent from Northern Ireland, including artists, performers, and sport heroes.
Elliott’s term as Director of the Northern Ireland Bureau came to an end on July 31st. He and his family are headed back to Belfast and a new senior civil service role.
We at AAIDN thank him for his partnership—and his friendship.