Washington, DC [US], January 27 (HBTV): White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday said that 20 additional countries have signed up to join US President Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ initiative, though the names of the new participants were not disclosed.
Leavitt said the Board of Peace, which originated from a Gaza ceasefire framework endorsed by the UN Security Council, is now being positioned by the Trump administration to address conflicts in other parts of the world. She acknowledged that the initiative has faced resistance from some Western nations concerned that the board could sideline the United Nations.
Addressing reporters at the White House, Leavitt also described the return of the last remaining Israeli hostage from Gaza as a ‘huge foreign policy feat’ for Trump, Israel and the global community.
The announcement follows Trump signing the charter to formally launch the Board of Peace initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22. Trump has previously described the body as potentially the ‘most prestigious board ever formed’.
Calling it a ‘very exciting day, long in the making’, Trump said, ‘We’re going to have peace in the world,’ adding, ‘And we’re all stars.’ In his opening remarks, he said that a year ago ‘the world was actually on fire’ but claimed that ‘many good things are happening’ and that global threats ‘are really calming down’.
Trump said his administration was ‘settling eight wars’ and claimed that significant progress had been made towards ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Administration officials said around 35 countries have committed to join the initiative, while 60 received invitations. Trump has suggested that the new body could assume roles currently held by the United Nations.
During a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, whose country has confirmed its membership, Trump said, ‘We have a lot of great people that want to join.’ He added that some leaders required parliamentary approval before committing, while other countries not invited were seeking inclusion.
Defending the inclusion of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders, Trump said he wanted ‘everybody’ who was powerful and could ‘get the job done’.
Several European allies declined participation, citing concerns over the board’s expanded mandate and its implications for the international system based on the UN Charter. The United Kingdom also said it would not sign the treaty, with British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper citing concerns over Putin’s invitation.
According to a copy of the charter cited by media reports, countries seeking permanent membership would need to contribute USD 1 billion, while non-paying members would receive a three-year mandate. The charter also designates Trump as permanent chairman, even after leaving office.
Trump linked the initiative to his approach on Iran and said it played a role in securing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. ‘If we didn’t do that, there was no chance of making peace,’ he said.
(ANI)