Trump's Board of Peace: Who Accepted & Who Rejected?

On January 15, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the formation of a “Board of Peace” as part of Phase Two of his 20-point peace plan to end the Gaza conflict. Also read: The case for a board of peace and sustainable security Following this, the Trump administration reached out to various global figures to serve on the Peace Board and related entities tasked with overseeing governance and reconstruction in post-war Gaza. While some nations accepted the invitation, several others declined to participate, citing diplomatic and policy reasons. What is the role of Board of Peace? The White House says this body will focus on issues such as “governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding and capital mobilisation”. In letters sent to various world leaders inviting them to be “founding members” of the board, Mr. Trump says the body would “embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict.” “At the heart of the plan is the Board of Peace, the most impressive and consequential board ever assembled, which will be established as a new International Organisation and Transitional Governing Administration,” he wrote. Who are the members involved? The members involved include Mr. Trump as chair, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Mr. Trump’s special negotiator Steve Witkoff, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, billionaire U.S. financier Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and Robert Gabriel, a loyal Trump aide on the National Security Council. Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov has been appointed as the “High Representative for the Board of Peace,” tasked with leading the transition from Hamas governance to a Palestinian administration of technocrats known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). This committee, headed by Ali Shaath, a former deputy minister of the Palestinian Authority, is designated for reinstating public services and stabilising daily life in the region. The National Committee comprises prominent figures, including Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Tony Blair, alongside international leaders such as Mladenov, Sigrid Kaag, the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi, and General Hassan Rashad from Egypt’s intelligence agency. The White House has also revealed the establishment of a “Gaza Executive Board” that will collaborate with the Office of the High Representative and the NCAG. This entity is formed to “support effective governance” and deliver essential services for the people of Gaza. List of leaders who were invited to the Peace Board Mr. Trump has invited leaders of at least 60 countries to join the Board of Peace for Gaza. Some of the prominent leaders invited are as listed below: Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama Argentine President Javier Milei Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Jordanian King Abdullah II Romanian President Nicusor Dan Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Russian President Vladimir Putin Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan King ‍Mohammed VI ​of Morocco Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi Chinese President Xi JinPing French President Emmanuel Macron Who accepted and who rejected? Several countries announced their intent to join the body. Among them is Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, known for his nationalist stance and being one of Mr. Trump’s strongest allies in the European Union. The United Arab Emirates, a key partner of the U.S., also expressed support. Other countries that have agreed to join include Argentina, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Morocco, and Israel which have accepted Mr. Trump’s invitation. Canada confirmed that it’ll join but clearly stated that it would not pay the $1 billion fee associated with permanent membership. Ukraine and the United Kingdom expressed concern over Russian involvement. China and India are yet to give any official confirmations regarding their participation. Norway rejected the proposal to join the peace board, claiming that the body runs against international laws.