U.S. President Donald Trump signed the charter of the new “Board of Peace” together with representatives of its member states, officially launching the council during a ceremony on Thursday in Davos. Trump said that the world “is one region” and that the Board would end decades of bloodshed, bringing “eternal peace”. He also hinted at a partnership with the United Nations, hoping the two bodies could work together in crisis zones such as Gaza. Trump further claimed that the United States had provided more development aid to the Gaza Strip than ever before, a statement that contrasts with his own administration’s global reduction in development aid spending.
The Board of Peace was originally intended to supervise a transitional government in Gaza, but there are indications that its mandate may be expanded to address a wider range of global crises and conflicts. Critics suggest that Trump is aiming to create a rival to the United Nations.
Member countries include Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia. From the European Union only Hungary and Bulgaria are part of the council; Germany and the United Kingdom have responded to the invitation with caution.