Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ – Who has Joined, Who has Declined Membership?
NEWS
Permanent membership to the board reportedly carries a price tag of at least $1 billion with exemptions for states that make larger upfront financial contributions.
US President Donald Trump formally introduced his controversial “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, flanked by several world leaders who have agreed to join the initiative.
The initiative, which will purportedly oversee Gaza’s post-war reconstruction, has received backing from key Middle Eastern powers, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar, as well as Türkiye, while traditional US allies such as European nations and Canada have either declined participation or remain hesitant to commit, according to the Anadolu news agency.
The Board of Peace is part of a 20-point plan proposed by Trump and later adopted by the UN Security Council in November 2025. The initiative was originally conceived to oversee the ceasefire and reconstruction of Gaza. However, draft versions of the charter reveal that its objective extends beyond Gaza, granting the body authority to intervene in global conflicts, with Trump retaining decisive control over membership and final approvals.
Permanent membership to the board reportedly carries a price tag of at least $1 billion, with exemptions for states that make larger upfront financial contributions.
Invitation Accepted
Several countries have accepted the invitation to join the board, with their representatives attending Thursday’s ceremony in Davos.
These include: Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Vietnam, Albania, Bulgaria, Paraguay, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia.
Confirmation Pending
Several countries have confirmed receiving invitations but have yet to announce their final decisions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Moscow is “ready” to allocate $1 billion to US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, adding that he would discuss the use of frozen Russian assets during a meeting with US envoys in Moscow later in the day.
China confirmed receipt of an invitation without stating whether it would participate, while Germany acknowledged the invitation and said it is under consideration.
India and Brazil said decisions would follow internal consultations, while the Vatican confirmed that Pope Leo XIV received an invitation.
Canada’s Invitation Withdrawn
Canada, meanwhile, has taken a cautious approach, with Prime Minister Mark Carney yet to announce a final decision on joining. Later, Trump said that he is withdrawing an invitation for Canada to join the “Board of Peace.” This follows sharp exchanges between the two leaders.
Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos openly criticized powerful states for weaponizing economic integration and using tariffs as tools of political pressure. His remarks were widely applauded by the Davos audience and interpreted as an indirect rebuke of US trade and foreign policy practices.
Ireland said it would give the proposal “careful consideration.” Romania, Finland, Greece, Cyprus, Japan, Austria, Australia, the Netherlands, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, and New Zealand have been invited but have not yet announced their final positions.
Rejections
Several European countries have declined participation, citing legal and institutional concerns, Anadolu reported.
The UK said it will not yet be signing up over concerns about the possible participation of Russia. At the same time, France said it does not intend to join “at this stage,” warning the board could be granted powers that undermine existing UN mechanisms.
Norway and Sweden announced similar refusals, arguing the initiative conflicts with international law and established multilateral frameworks.
‘Outside UN Framework’
Spain declined the invitation to the board with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez citing concerns over its mandate and lack of Palestinian representation. Sanchez said the board is “outside the UN framework” and does not include the Palestinian Authority.
“The future of Gaza should be decided by Palestinians,” he said. “And the future of their peaceful and secure coexistence with Israel must also be decided primarily by Israel and Palestine, through a dialogue-based process that implements the two-state solution, allows humanitarian aid to enter, and guarantees peace between both countries.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said her country needs more time to decide on joining, citing constitutional issues, while Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob said his country will not join the board for now, citing concerns that the initiative’s broad mandate could undermine the international system anchored in the UN.
Criticism
There has been mounting criticism from rights groups and analysts over the establishment of the board as well.
Amnesty International said, “The establishment of the so-called global ‘Board of Peace’ lays bare a brazen disregard for international law and human rights.”
“It also represents a stark new manifestation of the escalating assault on United Nations mechanisms, international justice institutions and universal norms,” the organization added.
1,300 Ceasefire Violations
The Board’s creation coincided with the launch of phase two of a ceasefire agreement that halted Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 71,000 Palestinians and injured over 171,000 since October 2023.
The Israeli occupation army has violated the ceasefire agreement 1,300 times, Gaza’s Government Media Office said on Thursday, including having killed 483 Palestinians and wounded 1,287 more.
(PC, Anadolu)
I Billion dollars! to join others who are Bored of Peace.
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