U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled his newly established “Board of Peace” on the global platform on Thursday, with an increasing number of nations responding to his call to participate in the initial focus on reconstructing Gaza.
By Thursday morning, around 35 countries had enlisted to be part of the board, including key players in the Middle East like Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. However, traditional allies of the United States, particularly European nations and Canada, have shown reluctance in committing to the initiative and its associated membership costs.
Later in the day, Trump announced the withdrawal of Canada’s invitation to join the board.
Countries aspiring for a permanent seat on the board, which Trump is set to preside over indefinitely, are required to contribute a minimum of $1 billion US, as outlined in a preliminary proposal. Other members will serve three-year terms.
A White House official disclosed to The Associated Press that approximately 50 countries had been formally invited, though responses from some are still pending.
While the final list of participating countries remains pending, there is already a mix of acceptances, refusals, and undecided stances. Notable early joiners include the United Arab Emirates, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Morocco, and Vietnam.
France recently declined the offer, citing discrepancies between the board’s charter and a United Nations resolution for resolving the Gaza conflict, along with elements conflicting with the UN charter, according to the French Foreign Ministry.
Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob also turned down the invitation, expressing concerns about the board’s potential interference with the broader international order.
Meanwhile, Moscow is contemplating joining the board, with Russian President Vladimir Putin proposing a contribution of $1 billion US from frozen Russian assets in the U.S.
Trump held a ceremonial signing event for the board in Davos, Switzerland, emphasizing his background in real estate and highlighting Gaza as a valuable location that sparked his peace efforts between Israel and Hamas.
The ceremony coincided with ongoing deadly Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, despite a ceasefire agreement brokered by the U.S. on October 10.
Trump has leveraged the ceasefire agreement into a broader initiative aimed at addressing global conflicts, prompting caution from some countries due to the limited details available about its future objectives.