In an effort to stabilize the precarious ceasefire in Gaza, U.S. President Donald Trump formally launched his Board of Peace. He claims that this initiative could grow to address more global issues, which has allies worried that it might weaken the UN’s role.
Speaking at the launch alongside the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump emphasized that the board was not meant to replace current multilateral institutions and that it would work in tandem with the UN. He claimed that the UN had “great potential” that had not yet been fully realized and that the new organization could support its initiatives.
Trump, who will serve as the board’s chair, stated that after it is fully constituted, it will have a wide range of authority to address issues outside of Gaza. Some nations, especially longstanding U.S. allies, are uneasy about this ambition because they fear the board’s increased authority will erode the UN’s standing as the main forum for international diplomacy and conflict resolution.
Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Argentina, and Indonesia are among the roughly 35 nations that have pledged to support the initiative thus far. While some Western nations have expressed caution, Russia has stated that it is considering joining. China has not yet made a statement, Britain has stated that it will not be joining at this time, and France has declined to take part.
According to Trump, each permanent member of the board would have to contribute $1 billion. There were no immediately noticeable representatives from the governments of the world’s leading nations at the signing ceremony. Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, stated that Moscow was reviewing the idea and proposed using frozen Russian assets in the US to finance its support for the Palestinians.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the board’s immediate focus would be ensuring the Gaza peace plan is implemented, while also serving as a model for resolving conflicts elsewhere. The board’s creation was endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution as part of Trump’s Gaza plan, with the UN saying its engagement would be limited to that framework.
While some democracies have joined, many of the participating countries are not democratic. Supporters include leaders closely aligned with Trump’s approach to diplomacy. Board members also include Rubio, U.S. Gaza negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Attention remains focused on the fragile Gaza ceasefire. Kushner said the next phase would centre on funding reconstruction in the territory and addressing the disarmament of Hamas, which he described as a key obstacle to progress. He said the coming months would prioritise humanitarian aid while creating conditions for longer-term stability.
There were signs of limited progress, with Palestinian officials saying the Rafah border crossing with Egypt is expected to reopen next week. However, the ceasefire agreed in October has been repeatedly strained, with Israel and Hamas accusing each other of violations, including disputes over hostages, aid access and continued violence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted an invitation to join the board, while Palestinian factions have endorsed the peace plan and backed a transitional Palestinian committee to administer Gaza under the board’s oversight. Even if the current truce holds, future negotiations will need to tackle long-standing issues such as Hamas disarmament, security arrangements in Gaza and an eventual Israeli withdrawal.