WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday hosted a signing for his Board of Peace, a body initially intended for the Gaza Strip peace effort now promoted as a platform for global conflict mediation.
“This board has the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created," Trump said during the ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. And we'll do it in conjunction with the United Nations."
Major Middle Eastern countries have joined the Trump-chaired board, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. But Western European countries have either declined their invitations or have yet to respond, concerned by its broad mandate and potential to rival the UN.
A senior administration official told reporters that some 35 countries out of the more than 50 that were invited had agreed to join the Board of Peace. Leaders and senior officials from 19 countries joined Trump onstage Thursday, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Argentinian President Javier Milei.
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