The first meeting of the Donald Trump-led Board of Peace took place in Washington on Thursday. India also attended the meeting as an observer country, days after the MEA said the US President’s offer to India, to join the group, was under consideration. Namgya C Khampa, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Washington, represented New Delhi in the key meeting.
Trump inaugurated his Board of Peace in January at the World Economic Forum in Davos to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas. He proposed this body as a substitute of the United Nations.
Speaking at the annual summit in the Swiss resort town, Trump claimed there was strong global interest in the initiative, stating that “everyone wants to be a part” of it. What began as a limited plan linked to the Gaza conflict has since evolved into a broader diplomatic effort.
The Board was first conceived as a mechanism to supervise a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. It was also expected to assist in reconstruction efforts and contribute to the future governance of the territory. However, US officials now indicate that its mandate could expand well beyond its original scope.
50 nations participate in meeting
The recent meeting held at the US Institute of Peace in Washington brought together representatives from nearly 50 countries. Of these, 27 nations have formally joined the Board. Members include Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Other participants, including India and the European Union, attended the discussions as observers rather than full members.
India has so far remained cautious. Although it received an invitation to join the Board, New Delhi did not attend the Davos launch. On February 12, the Ministry of External Affairs said the proposal was still under review on whether or not India would attend the meeting.
Trump invites Russia, China to join
Meanwhile, Trump has sought to expand the group and asked China and Russia to join the initiative.
"A lot of countries are going through the process of getting on the board... I would love to have China and Russia on board, they have been invited," he said.
