Trump set to sign 'Board of Peace' charter in Davos

US President Donald Trump is set to formally announce and sign the charter of the "Board of Peace" during a ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday.

The ceremony is scheduled to start at 0930GMT.

The initiative, initially conceived as a mechanism to oversee the Gaza ceasefire and post-war reconstruction, has since expanded into a broader international conflict-mediation body, with dozens of countries invited to join.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Wednesday that more than 20 countries had already accepted the invitation. "I think we have north of 20, maybe 25 world leaders who have already accepted," he told in an interview with CNBC.

Among the countries that have accepted the invitation are Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, and Egypt, as well as NATO members Türkiye and Hungary.

Other participating states include Morocco, Pakistan, Indonesia, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus.

Last week, the White House announced the formation of the Board of Peace, alongside the approval of a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, one of the four bodies designated to manage the transitional phase in the enclave.

The creation of the board coincided with the launch of phase two of a ceasefire agreement, which halted Israel's war on Gaza that has killed more than 71,000 people and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.

The board, likely to have Trump as a lifetime chairman, is expected to operate as an international peacebuilding organization, with a mandate that extends beyond Gaza.

White House officials said invited countries were told that permanent membership on the board would require a contribution of at least $1 billion within the first year.

According to the draft charter, member states would initially be granted a three-year term, while permanent seats would be reserved for those making the financial commitment.

France, Norway, and Sweden have publicly declined to join the initiative, citing concerns that it could undermine the role of the UN. Other European countries, including Germany, the UK, and Italy, have remained noncommittal.

The executive committee overseeing the Board of Peace is expected to include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, billionaire Marc Rowan, World Bank Group head Ajay Banga, and US political adviser Robert Gabriel.