Davos (TDI): Pakistan has formally joined US President Donald Trump’s newly launched “Board of Peace” after signing its founding charter at the World Economic Forum in Davos, as Trump unveiled the initiative aimed at brokering peace in Gaza and beyond.
The signing ceremony took place on Thursday on the sidelines of the 56th annual WEF meeting, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif joined a group of global leaders and senior officials in endorsing the new body. Trump, who chairs the Board of Peace, was the first to sign the charter and later observed as other participants added their names.
Officials from 19 countries stood alongside the US president on stage, including close Trump allies such as Argentina and Hungary, as well as representatives from Pakistan and several Middle Eastern and Eurasian states, according to AFP.
Pakistan had earlier received an invitation from President Trump to join the board, which Islamabad subsequently accepted, officials said.
Commenting on the gathering, Trump described the signatories as “in most cases very popular leaders, and in some cases not so popular,” adding, “that’s the way life works.”
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Although initially conceived as a mechanism to oversee post-war peace arrangements in Gaza following the conflict between Hamas and Israel, the board’s charter outlines a broader mandate to help resolve international disputes. This expanded scope has raised concerns among diplomats that the initiative could evolve into a rival platform to the United Nations.
Trump, however, dismissed those concerns, saying the Board of Peace would operate “in conjunction” with the UN rather than replacing it.
The composition of the board has already sparked controversy, particularly after Trump extended an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump claimed Putin had agreed to participate, while the Kremlin said the Russian leader was still reviewing the proposal.
Critics have also pointed to the board’s membership rules, which require permanent members to contribute $1 billion, prompting accusations that the initiative could resemble a “pay-to-play” version of the UN Security Council.
Several key US allies declined to take part in the launch. Britain and France voiced reservations, with London confirming it would not attend the ceremony.
Those present largely included leaders with close political ties to Trump such as Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Argentina’s Javier Milei or governments keen to signal alignment with Washington.
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Other signatories included officials from Bahrain, Morocco, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Mongolia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over the Gaza war, has said he intends to join the board but did not attend the Davos event.
