ISLAMABAD : Monitoring Desk – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other world leaders formally signed the Gaza Board of Peace charter during a ceremony held in Davos on Thursday. The launch of the Board of Peace is a significant initiative of US President Donald Trump.
The countries, which signed the Board of Peace charter also included Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Bahrain, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo,Morocco, Mangolia, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan. The Board of Peace aims to help resolve global conflicts.
It is pertinent to mention that Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir also attended the ceremony.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also a member of the Board of Peace. It will be chaired by Trump himself, who will also “separately serve” as the representative of the United States.
The board was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of post-war Gaza, but its charter seen by AFP does not appear to limit its role to the Palestinian territory, and members have to pay up to $1 billion for a permanent spot on it. The term has been capped at 3 years if the amount mentioned is not paid.
The board “seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict”, reads the preamble of the charter sent to countries invited to participate.
At the event, Pakistan’s political and military leadership became the center of attention for global leaders. President Donald Trump specially pointed towards Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and welcomed him with a smile.
“The charter is now in full force, and the board of peace is now an official international organization,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Trump addressed concerns about the organisation rivaling the United Nations, stating he wanted the board to work “in conjunction” with the UN. He did criticize the UN for failing to live up to its potential.
Arab-Islamic Foreign Ministers for a Lasting Ceasefire and Sustainable Peace in Gaza
US President Donald Trump on Thursday inaugurated his Board of Peace to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel’s war with the Hamas , insisting that “everyone wants to be a part” of a body that could eventually rival the United Nations — despite many US allies opting not to participate.
In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump sought to create momentum for a project to map out a future of the war-torn Gaza Strip that has been overshadowed this week, first by his threats to seize Greenland, then by a dramatic retreat from that push. “This isn’t the United States, this is for the world,” he said of the Board of Peace, adding, “I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza.”
The event featured a video message from Ali Shaath, the chief commissioner of the newly established National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a 12-member panel of Palestinian technocrats tasked with replacing Hamas in running Gaza’s daily affairs.
“This transition will succeed only if it delivers real tangible improvements in daily life for Gazans,” Shaath said before announcing that the Rafah Crossing will reopen next week in both directions — something Israel has refused to allow before the body of the last deceased hostage, Ran Gvili, is returned and Hamas has given up its weapons.
But Board of Peace High Representative Nickolay Mladenov announced later Thursday that “an agreement has been reached” on the matter, indicating that Jerusalem had been consulted and was privately on board.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office didn’t deny the plan to reopen Rafah, issuing a statement to reporters attributed to an anonymous Israeli official who said, “A special effort is underway to return the body of the late Ran Gvili, while making full use of the information in our possession. The security cabinet will discuss this issue and the matter of opening the Rafah crossing at the beginning of next week.”
The new peace board was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire, but it has morphed into something far more ambitious — and skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some countries usually closest to Washington to take a pass. Trump appeared to reinforce some of those fears, declaring, “Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do.”
The Prime Minister and the Field Marshal also attended the address of US President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum.
Earlier , One Jan 21, in response to the invitation extended to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif by the President of the United States, H.E. Donald J. Trump, Pakistan announced its decision to join the Board of Peace (BoP) as part of its ongoing efforts to support the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan under the framework of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.
Pakistan expresses the hope that with the creation of this framework, concrete steps will 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.
Pakistan looks forward to continue playing a constructive role as part of the Board of Peace for the achievement of these goals as well as to end the suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters.
Joint Statement on the Board of Peace
On 21 Jan, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Republic of Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the State of Qatar welcome the invitation extended to their leaders by the President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, to join the Board of Peace.
The Ministers announce their countries’ shared decision to join the Board of Peace. Each country will 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.
The Ministers reiterate their countries’ support for the peace efforts led by President Trump, and reaffirm their countries’ commitment to supporting the implementation of the mission of the Board of Peace as a transitional administration, as set out in the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict and endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, aimed at consolidating a permanent ceasefire, supporting the reconstruction of Gaza, and advancing a just and lasting peace grounded in the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood in accordance with international law, thereby paving the way for security and stability for all countries and peoples of the region.
Pakistani expert on International Affairs, Mr. Tazeen Akhtar has shared that the world has very little hope attached with this attempt of President Trump. He mentioned the question being asked by many, “Will this board bring genuine peace or mark a new era of geopolitical influence led by the Global North? What role should the Global South play in shaping such initiatives? He said, the critics are not looking forward to any thing like Peace or Restoration and Recognition of Palestinian’s rights even after formation of this rival group of UN. He said , ” More it is taken as Bored of Peace than Board of Peace.”
