Pakistan among 19 countries signing charter; Shehbaz signs document alongside other leaders; UK, France skip ceremony
US President Donald Trump shares a lighter moment with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the unveiling of the ‘Board of Peace’ on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos. Photo: Express
DAVOS:
US President Donald Trump kicked off his new “Board of Peace” at Davos on Thursday, with a signing ceremony for a body with a $1 billion membership fee and a host of invitees.
A group of leaders and senior officials from 19 countries — including Trump allies from Argentina and Hungary — gathered on stage with Trump to put their names to the founding charter of the body.
Pakistan signed the charter of the board as part of its ongoing efforts to support the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the document along with other world leaders including those from Qatar, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan Argentina, Kosovo, Paraguay, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Bulgaria and others.
US President was the first to sign the charter who later witnessed the ceremony held on the sidelines of the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum held here.
Pakistan had received the invitation from President Trump to join the Board which was later accepted.
Pakistan was among the eight Muslim states who announced to be part of the body on Wednesday which included Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
It was announced that each country would sign the joining documents according to its respective relevant legal and other necessary procedures, including Egypt, Pakistan, and the UAE, that have already announced to join.
Pakistan had expressed the hope that with the creation of this framework, concrete steps would be taken towards the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, further scaling up of humanitarian aid for the Palestinians, as well as reconstruction of Gaza.
“Pakistan also hopes that these efforts will lead to the realization of the right to self-determination of the people of Palestine, through a credible, time-bound political process, consistent with international legitimacy and relevant UN resolutions, resulting in the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” Foreign Office earlier said in a statement.
Addressing the ceremony, President Trump said, “everybody” wants to be a part of his Board of Peace.
He said he will continue to “work with many others, including the United Nations”.
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,” Trump said, adding that the UN had great potential that had not been fully utilised.
There’s tremendous potential with the United Nations, and I think the combination of the Board of Peace with the kind of people we have here — could be something very, very unique for the world,” Trump said.
He also reiterated that his administration had helped stop eight wars within a ten-month period, specifically citing the prevention of a war between the two atomic powers, Pakistan and India.
Trump — who is the chairman of the Board of Peace — said they were “in most cases very popular leaders, some cases not so popular. That’s the way it goes in life.”
Originally meant to oversee peace in Gaza after the war between Hamas and Israel, the board’s charter envisions a wider role in resolving international conflicts, sparking concerns that Trump wants it to rival the United Nations.
Trump however said the organization would work “in conjunction” with the UN.
The Board of Peace’s potential membership has however proved controversial, with Trump having invited Russian President Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine four years ago.
Trump said Putin had agreed to join, while the Russian leader said he was still studying the invite.
Permanent members must also pay $1 billion to join, leading to criticisms that the board could become a “pay to play” version of the UN Security Council.
UK, France snub signing
Key US allies including France and Britain have expressed skepticism, with the UK saying Thursday it would not attend the ceremony.
The members on stage largely held close ties to Trump, including Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Argentina’s Javier Milei, or a wish to show their allegiance to the US president.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over the war in Gaza, has said he will join but was not at the ceremony.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the ceremony that the board’s focus was “first and foremost on making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring.”
Trump however said Hamas to disarm under the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire accord or it will be the “end of them.”
The launch of the board comes against the backdrop of Trump’s frustration at having failed to win the Nobel Peace Prize, despite his disputed claim to have ended eight conflicts.
