US President Donald Trump's proposed Board of Peace is slowly taking shape, with some nations supporting its potential and others asking for clarity over its composition and role.
More than 10 heads of state have so far confirmed their acceptance of the diplomatic initiative. These include: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed, Bahrain’s King Hamad, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Argentina's President Javier Milei, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Belarus's President Alexander Lukashenko.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also accepted Mr Trump's request to join the board, despite rare Israeli objections to parts of the US President’s plan to build on the fragile ceasefire in Gaza. Meanwhile, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said his country had agreed “in principle”, pending further details.
Sixty nations have been invited to join Mr Trump's proposed Board of Peace, which was formed last week and has responsibility for overseeing Gaza's peace plan. The invited nations include Jordan, India, China, Russia and Pakistan, among others. According to the charter of the proposed board, “membership is limited to states invited to participate by the Chairman”.
The US President reportedly hopes the board will be signed off on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. The board, of which Mr Trump is the chairman, is part of his 20-point peace plan for Gaza.
The White House said the board would “play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the President’s plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilising international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development”.
The board has raised questions by some leaders, who are seeking to clarify how it will be run and how it will function.
France’s Emmanuel Macron promptly declined Mr Trump's invitation to join, saying that the board's charter appeared to contradict UN principles. In response, Mr Trump mocked Mr Macron and threatened a 200 per cent tariff on wine and champagne. Sweden has also declined, while Norway has said it will not participate in “the way the plan is currently presented”.
'Chair for life'
President Trump could lead the Board of Peace even after he leaves the White House, a US official said on Tuesday.
The charter draft states that the US leader “shall serve as inaugural Chairman of the Board of Peace”, with no mention of a fixed term. It also states that “replacement of the Chairman may occur only following voluntary resignation or as a result of incapacity, as determined by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board”.
The charter draft states that the executive board members are appointed by Mr Trump. They include his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff. The draft also states that all decisions made by the executive board are “subject to veto by the Chairman at any time”.
The board's member states can serve a term of “no more than three years … subject to renewal by the Chairman”, according to the charter.
While there is no entry fee to join the board, permanent membership would be given to member states that “contribute more than $1 billion in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year”. Funding controls and financial oversight mechanisms would be implemented by the executive board according to the charter.
UN question
Senior European officials have described the board as an alleged attempt by Mr Trump to set up a rival to the UN, of which he has long been a vocal critic. They also believe that Mr Trump sees it as a vehicle to resolve other conflicts and control international events.
The US President said that the UN “should continue” its work, while also criticising its effectiveness. “The UN just hasn’t been very helpful. I’m a big fan of the UN's potential, but it has never lived up to its potential,” Mr Trump told reporters at the White House. “You've got to let the UN continue, because the potential is so great."
The charter draft presents the board as a “more nimble and effective international peace-building body” that aims to bring stability and peace “in areas affected or threatened by conflict”. Gaza is not mentioned in its articles.
When asked if he wanted the Board of Peace to replace the UN, Mr Trump said, “Might”. He added that he wished “we didn’t need a Board of Peace” but that “with all the wars I settled, the United Nations never helped me in one war”.
