White House says 20 more countries have signed up for Trump's 'Board of Peace' initiative
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Board of Peace, originally mandated by the UN Security Council to oversee the management of Gaza for the next two years, is now being positioned by the Trump administration to address conflicts in other parts of the world.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that 20 more countries have "signed up to join US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace," though she did not disclose the names of the new participants. She stated that the Board of Peace, originally mandated by the UN Security Council to oversee the management of Gaza for the next two years, is now being positioned by the Trump administration to address conflicts in other parts of the world.
Initiative faces resistance from Western nations
She acknowledged that the initiative has faced resistance from some Western nations uneasy about what they view as the board's attempt to sideline the United Nations.
However, Leavitt 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 his "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."
Trump says threats worldwide are calming down
In his opening remarks, Trump said, "Just one year ago the world was actually on fire, a lot of people didn't know it," but claimed "many good things are happening" and that threats worldwide "are really calming down."
Trump said his administration was "settling eight wars" and claimed "a lot of progress" had been made towards ending Russia's war in Ukraine.
Around 35 nations committed to join Board of Peace
The initiative originated from the US president's 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan endorsed by the UN Security Council but has since expanded beyond its original scope. Administration officials said around 35 nations had committed to join, while 60 received invitations, with Trump suggesting the new body could assume roles currently held by the United Nations.
Trump said, "We have a lot of great people that want to join," during a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, whose country has confirmed membership. He added that some leaders required parliamentary approval before committing, while other countries not invited were seeking inclusion.
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