US President Trumps Board of Peace raises concerns about European influence

European Countries Decline or Politely Suggest Participation in US President’s Gaza Reconstruction Initiative

A majority of European countries have declined or expressed hesitation to join the United States’ “Board of Peace” initiative, which aims to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza. Only Hungary and Bulgaria have accepted invitations to participate.

The board was established by US President Donald Trump on January 22 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The charter calls for a group of countries to contribute $1 billion each for a lifetime membership. However, the details of how the funds will be spent remain unclear.

Several European countries have declined invitations due to concerns about the board’s structure and principles. France has stated that it does not want to participate in an initiative that “goes beyond the framework of Gaza” and raises questions about the United Nations’ mandate.

The US president has invited Russia to join the board, despite its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. This move has raised eyebrows among experts, who suggest that Trump may be seeking to supplant the UN’s authority.

Some analysts believe that Trump is attempting to gather middle powers to counterbalance other forms of multilateralism. The initiative has brought together countries with diverse interests and goals, including Vietnam, Mongolia, Turkey, and Belarus.

The US president has stated that he believes the UN should continue to exist, but his recent actions have raised concerns about his commitment to international institutions. The board’s purpose is to fulfill the mandate of the UN, but its structure and principles have sparked debate among experts.

The initiative has also been criticized for lacking transparency and clarity on how the funds will be spent. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, is a member of the executive board, which has raised questions about the board’s governance and effectiveness.

Source: Al Jazeera