Initially conceived to oversee the ceasefire in Gaza, the body promoted by the White House has expanded its mandate to global conflicts and is raising concerns due to its relationship with the UN.
The so-called Peace Board is an international initiative promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump, with the stated objective of resolving armed conflicts and overseeing political and post-war transition processes in different regions of the world.
Initially conceived as a mechanism to support the ceasefire and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, the proposal was quickly expanded by the White House to encompass international crises beyond the Middle East, including active conflicts and far-reaching geopolitical disputes.
The project was formally presented as an alternative international political coordination body, with its own structure, centralized leadership, and a founding charter that defines its scope, membership, and operation. Since its announcement, the Peace Board has generated unexpected support, explicit rejections, and an intense debate about its impact on the multilateral system led by the United Nations.
Donald Trump first unveiled the idea of the Peace Board in September of last year, as part of the presentation of his plan to end the war in Gaza. At that time, the initiative was presented as an international oversight mechanism to guarantee the implementation of a ceasefire, coordinate humanitarian aid, and facilitate the reconstruction of the Palestinian enclave.
As the weeks went by, the White House made it clear that the scope of the body would not be limited to Gaza. According to drafts of its founding charter, the objective was expanded to the prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts in different regions, based on the premise that the current international system has proven to be slow, ineffective, and excessively conditioned by political vetoes.
Trump, a long-time critic of the UN, defended the initiative as a pragmatic response to what he considers the paralysis of the Security Council.
Who presides over the Peace Board and how is it organized?
The presidency of the Peace Board rests exclusively with Donald Trump, who will be its first head and will retain the position indefinitely, even after leaving the White House if he so decides. According to the preliminary statute, Trump will have broad executive powers, including the ability to veto decisions, remove members, and define operational priorities.
The body will have a founding Executive Board, composed of key figures from the US president's political, diplomatic, and business circles. Among the confirmed names are:
Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State.
Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy for the Middle East.
Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and advisor.
Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management.
Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank.
Robert Gabriel, a close advisor to Donald Trump.
What real powers will the Peace Board have?
One of the most debated aspects is the actual scope of the Peace Board's power. So far, it is unclear what legal authority it will have, or what enforcement mechanisms it can use to impose decisions or mediate conflicts.
The founding charter states that the body will act in peacebuilding tasks in accordance with international law, but it does not define sanctions, military deployments, or binding obligations for member states. Nor does it specify how it will coordinate with existing organizations such as the UN, NATO, or the European Union.
In the case of Gaza, the White House also announced the creation of a specific Executive Board, tasked with supporting a transitional Palestinian administration. However, the overlap of functions between the two bodies raises questions about their practical operation.
What are the conditions for joining the Board?
According to the draft statute, member countries will have three-year, renewable terms. There is, however, a controversial clause: states wishing for permanent membership can obtain it through a voluntary contribution of up to $1 billion to finance the organization's activities.
The White House clarified that the financial contribution is not mandatory, although it acknowledged that it grants institutional benefits. This provision has generated strong criticism, especially in Europe, where it is interpreted as a form of privatization of multilateralism.
The Vatican, for example, indicated that any eventual participation would exclude financial contributions, as it is not in a position to make them. Which countries have already confirmed their participation?
According to statements by Steve Witkoff, at least 25 countries have already accepted the invitation to join the Peace Board. These include traditional allies of the United States.
A particularly sensitive case is that of Belarus, whose regime, led by Alexander Lukashenko, accepted the invitation despite its international isolation and close ties with Russia.
Armenia and Azerbaijan also accepted, countries that signed a peace agreement mediated by the United States after meeting with Trump at the White House.
Which countries will not participate or have expressed rejection?
Several close allies of Washington responded with caution or outright rejection. Among the countries that have already confirmed they will not join are:
Norway, which expressed doubts about the project's compatibility with the UN.
Sweden, which declined the invitation.
Slovenia, which warned about the risk of undermining the international order.
France, whose rejection led to tariff threats from Trump.
Italy also expressed reservations, and local media indicated that joining an organization led by a foreign head of state could violate its Constitution.
Other key countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan have not publicly defined their position, although Berlin indicated that its chancellor would not attend the founding event in Davos.
The position of Canada, Ukraine, and the Vatican
Canada said it had accepted "in principle," although it clarified that the details are still under discussion.
Ukraine, meanwhile, is cautiously evaluating the proposal. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he finds it difficult to imagine sharing a body with Russia after years of war.
The Vatican confirmed having received the invitation. Pope Leo XIV is analyzing the proposal, according to Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, who requested time for a decision and warned about the negative impact of current international tensions.
Russia and China: the big unknowns
So far, Russia and China have not confirmed their participation. Both countries, permanent members of the UN Security Council with veto power, are observing the initiative cautiously.
Moscow maintains a more fluid dialogue with Washington since Trump's return, but has not decided whether to join. Beijing, for its part, is experiencing a trade truce with the United States, although it continues to defend the central role of the UN in global governance. The main concern is that the Peace Board could weaken the existing multilateral system by creating a parallel forum dominated by a single power and lacking clear mechanisms for collective oversight.
Critics point out that the body's design—with an exclusive veto for Trump, paid memberships, and personalized leadership—breaks with the traditional principles of balance and consensus that have governed international institutions since World War II.
For its proponents, however, the Board represents an opportunity to resolve conflicts that have been stalled for years and to offer faster and more direct solutions.
(With information from AFP, Reuters, and EFE)
0 Comments