Pakistan in, G7 and other major powers skip: 26 members so far on Trump's Board of Peace

Trump laid out Board of Peace as part of his 20-point ceasefire plan for Gaza. However, as time to start the second phase neared, the aim shifted.

US President Donald Trump holds a signed resolution, as he attends a charter announcement for his Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts, alongside the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. (REUTERS)

Amid the controversy regarding United States President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, a total of 26 nations had joined the international body as of Wednesday. While the Board of Peace was formed to ensure peace in Gaza and the reconstruction of the war-torn Palestinian region after Israeli military strikes, the charter of the BoP appears to have an aim to replace the United Nations as the mediator in global conflicts.

Donald Trump laid out his Board of Peace as part of the second phase of his 20-point ceasefire plan for Gaza. However, as time to start the second phase neared, the aim of the board shifted.

“The Board of Peace is an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict,” reads the charter.

The original draft, as per a statement from the White House, stated that the body will play a key role in ensuring all 20 points of the Gaza ceasefire plan are put into effect.

However, with invites now sent out, countries and allies find themselves questioning the very motive behind this board and the lack of mention of the larger Israel-Palestine conflict.

No G7 on the list

The G7 countries — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the European Union — are missing from the list of founding members so far.

US allies such as France, Germany and the UK have outright refused to join the board in view of the lack of mention of Gaza, Trump’s current trade policies, and his demand for Greenland from Denmark.

Canada, on the other hand, said it would be open to joining the board but not pay the renewal fees of $1 billion after three years. But, following PM Mark Carney’s hard-hitting speech at Davos, Trump has disinvited Canada.

Italy also stated that it cannot join the board in its current form. “We are available. We are interested in this initiative,” said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during a press briefing with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Rome, but added that under the current structure it would be “unconstitutional” for Italy to join.

Similar sentiments were echoed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, adding that Germany is willing to “try other forms, new forms of cooperation with the United States of America, when it comes to finding new formats that bring us closer to peace in different regions of the world”.

Japan stopped short of committing itself to the board. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Tokyo hopes to “play a role”, but the Sanae Takaichi-led government is yet to clarify its stance on joining or not.

The European Union raised its concerns regarding the “concentration of powers” of the Board of Peace, which leaves its chairman, Donald Trump, in charge of majority of the decisions.

In a confidential analysis dated January 19 and shared with the EU’s member countries, Reuters reported that the European External Action Service expressed worries about a concentration of power in Trump’s hands.

The analysis further stated that the charter of the body “raises a concern under the EU’s constitutional principles” and “the autonomy of the EU legal order also militates against a concentration of powers in the hands of the chairman”.

The document added that the charters “departs significantly” from the mandate authorised by the UN Security Council, which had a sole focus on Gaza. Furthermore, Trump’s demand and threats towards Greenland have marred US’ ties with the EU.

Along with the G7 nations, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden declined POTUS’s invitation to join.

3 BRICS nations on board, but founding members skip

BRICS has long been seem by Trump as an anti-American group of nations, especially due to the presence of China and Russia. That being said, at least three BRICS nations have joined the Board of Peace.

As per the data issued on its official X account, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt have joined the Trump-led body. However, the inclusion of these nations also comes due to their role as the key mediators during the Israel-Gaza war since October 2023.

India and Brazil, which are also facing 50% tariffs from Trump, are not on the board yet. Even China and Russia have been invited, but have yet to accept.

South Africa, on the other hand, was not extended an invitation to join the board, most likely due to Trump’s unproven allegations of a “white genocide” in the country.

Three BRICS Partner countries — Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan — are now members of the Board of Peace, though.