US President Donald Trump has formally unveiled the first charter of his ambitious “Board of Peace”, a new international body conceived to oversee post-war Gaza and later expand into a global conflict-resolution forum, declaring it could become “one of the most consequential bodies ever created in the history of the world.”
Announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the initiative carries a reported $1 billion price tag for permanent membership and has drawn leaders from more than a dozen countries, including Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Argentina’s Javier Milei, Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto, Armenia’s Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev.
In his opening remarks, Trump said “everybody” wanted to be part of the new body and signalled close coordination with existing multilateral institutions. “I think the combination of the Board of Peace with the kind of people we have here, coupled with the United Nations, can be something very, very unique for the world,” he said, describing it as potentially “the most prestigious board ever formed.”
The US President said the Board would begin with Gaza before broadening its remit. “I think we can spread out to other things as we succeed with Gaza… we’re going to be very successful in Gaza,” Trump declared. “Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do.”
Trump asserted that the Gaza war was “really coming to an end,” though he cautioned that “little fires” remained. He warned Hamas to disarm, saying, “They have to give up their weapons, and if they don’t do that, it’s going to be the end of them,” adding that the group “were born with rifles in their hands.” He also insisted that the final body of a hostage must be returned to Israel.
At the ceremony, US and Palestinian officials outlined a roadmap for Gaza’s future, including an interim Palestinian-run technocratic administration and a surge in humanitarian aid. Ali Shaath, named to lead the interim administration, announced via video link that the Rafah crossing would reopen next week for two-way traffic for the first time since May 2024. Calling Rafah Gaza’s lifeline, he said, “Opening Rafah signals Gaza is no longer closed to the future or to the world.”
Trump used the platform to reiterate his claim of having ended multiple conflicts. “We put out all those fires. Most people didn’t know, including me, that some of those wars were going on,” he said, adding that another major conflict resolution was “coming pretty soon,” in an apparent reference to Ukraine.
India has not yet confirmed whether it will join the Board, though Prime Minister Narendra Modi is among several leaders invited to participate, according to media reports. The evolving composition of the forum and its sweeping ambitions are already reshaping diplomatic conversations, even as critics question how the unprecedented body will function alongside existing global institutions.
