Trump unveils Gaza 'Board of Peace' at Davos. Who is on board?

US President Donald Trump has formally signed off on the creation of his proposed so-called "Board of Peace" at a ceremony held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, presenting it as the next phase of his administration's 20-point peace plan for Gaza, and a new vehicle for international conflict management.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Trump claimed that "everybody" wanted to be part of the Board of Peace, despite several countries declining to join or holding back from immediate participation.

He insisted the new body would continue to work "with many others, including the United Nations", as concerns mount that the initiative could bypass or weaken existing multilateral institutions.

While the board was initially framed as a mechanism to oversee a ceasefire and postwar reconstruction in Gaza, its remit has since expanded well beyond the Palestinian territory, prompting growing unease among diplomats and governments over its scope, authority, and long-term implications for global governance.

What is the 'Board of Peace'?

Trump first proposed the Board of Peace in September during the UN General Assembly, presenting it at the time as a framework to support the administration, reconstruction and economic recovery of Gaza following Israel's war on the territory.

The White House formally announced the board last week, ahead of the signing ceremony in Davos.

However, the organisation's 11-page charter makes no direct reference to Gaza. Instead, it outlines the creation of a new international organisation tasked with promoting stability, restoring governance and securing enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict around the world.

The governance structure concentrates significant authority in the hands of Trump himself. As chairman, he serves as the final interpreter of the charter and holds veto power over key decisions, including the removal of members and actions taken by the executive board.

Membership is by invitation only, with most states granted three-year terms, while countries contributing more than $1bn in the first year are offered permanent seats.

Arab countries and the MENA region

Arab and Muslim majority countries form the strongest bloc of early supporters of the Board of Peace. In a joint statement, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Pakistan confirmed their participation in the initiative.

The group said the board's mission was to consolidate a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, support reconstruction and advance "a just and lasting peace".

Israel has also confirmed its participation after approval from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite earlier objections from his office over the composition of the executive committee.

Netanyahu's decision to join has drawn criticism, given the International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued against him over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Other countries from the region that have signed up include Morocco and Bahrain, bringing the number of confirmed participants from the Middle East and North Africa into double figures.

Other countries that have agreed to join

Beyond the Middle East, a diverse group of countries has confirmed participation in the board. These include Hungary, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Argentina and Belarus.

Some of these states have strained or unconventional relationships with Washington, while others are long-standing US partners.

Taken together, at least 24 countries have now confirmed their membership in the Board of Peace, according to statements from governments and US officials.

Which countries have declined to join?

Several European countries, including France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Slovenia, have explicitly rejected Trump's invitation.

Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said the initiative "dangerously interferes with the broader international order".

France's refusal prompted Trump to threaten tariffs of up to 200 percent on French wine and champagne, escalating tensions between Washington and Paris.

Who is undecided or cautious?

A number of countries have received invitations to join the Board of Peace but have either delayed a decision or signalled clear reservations about signing up.

These include Germany, Italy and Japan, as well as other invited states such as India and Thailand, none of which has formally endorsed the initiative so far, reflecting caution over its scope, structure and political consequences.

The United Kingdom has also chosen not to sign up to the 'Board of Peace' at this stage, despite confirming it was invited.

Speaking from Davos, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK would not be among the signatories, describing the board as a legal treaty that raises much broader issues than its original focus on Gaza.

She said London had supported Trump's 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza and wanted to play a role in the second phase of the peace process, but voiced concern about Russian President Vladimir Putin potentially being involved in a body framed around peace while Russia's war in Ukraine continues.

Canada has said it agreed to join the board "in principle", but officials stressed that discussions remain ongoing and that key details were still unresolved.

China and Russia have also been invited, but have not confirmed whether they will participate.

As permanent members of the UN Security Council, both are widely viewed as wary of initiatives that could dilute the authority of the United Nations or create parallel structures that challenge its central role in global diplomacy.

What power will the board have?

Although the Board of Peace initially operated under a limited UN Security Council mandate focused on Gaza, its charter outlines far broader ambitions.

The chairman's extensive executive authority, combined with a pay-to-join model that grants permanent seats to wealthy contributors, has raised concerns about accountability, balance of power and political leverage.

The board will also oversee a Gaza executive board, a Palestinian technocratic committee responsible for day-to-day governance in the territory, and an international stabilisation force with a mandate that includes permanent disarmament. How these bodies will operate together in practice remains unclear.

Why are many countries hesitant?

For governments that have declined to join or chosen to delay participation, the central concern is that the Board of Peace could sideline the UN and weaken the rules-based international order.

Many point to the concentration of power in the chairman's role, the absence of clear checks and balances, and the political risks of endorsing a US-led project rather than a genuinely multilateral initiative.