Trump launches the Board of Peace in Davos. Here is what it is and who is on it
A project that challenges traditional multilateralism, with adhesions from the Middle East, Asia and European disputes, while a permanent role for Trump is envisaged
In the midst of the World Economic Forum, US President Donald Trump relaunched one of the most controversial initiatives of his second term: the Board of Peace, a new international body that the White House intends should deal with the management and resolution of global conflicts. A project that deeply divides the international community and raises questions about the resilience of the multilateral architecture built after World War II.
From the reconstruction of Gaza to a global mandate
The Board of Peace was formally created as an extension of the US ceasefire plan in Gaza, with the initial objective of overseeing its demilitarisation and reconstruction. But the draft statute, circulated among the invited countries, tells a different story: no explicit reference to Gaza and a much broader mandate, defined as promoting "stability, peace and governance" in areas affected or threatened by conflict. It is therefore a development that has fuelled the fears of many Western allies, especially after Trump's statements that the Board 'could' come to replace the United Nations. At Davos, that phrase resonated as a direct challenge to traditional multilateralism.
Trump president indefinitely
The statute provides for Trump to be chairman of the Board indefinitely, even beyond the end of his term in the White House. Under him would operate a founding Executive Council that includes key figures from the Trumpian and international establishment, from son-in-law Jared Kushner to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Another critical point is the membership mechanism: countries enter for a three-year term, but a contribution of one billion dollars is required to obtain a permanent seat. According to Washington, the funds would be earmarked for the reconstruction of Gaza; for many observers, however, the risk of opacity and real 'paid diplomacy' is evident.
Who joins and who backs out
So far, the Board has garnered the support of numerous Middle Eastern and Asian countries, as well as governments considered politically controversial. The adherents include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey and Hungary, but also Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus. Israel has given its assent, despite the Board's internal tensions and Prime Minister Netanyahu's international court cases.
