Donald Trump vows $10 billion for 'Board of Peace' at inaugural Washington meeting

President Donald Trump pledged $10 billion to the 'Board of Peace' as world leaders gathered for the inaugural meeting in Washington on February 19. Trump also announced that nine member nations—Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Kuwait—have committed a combined $7 billion to a Gaza relief package. Additionally, five countries—Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania—have agreed to deploy troops as part of a new International Stabilization Force for Gaza.

"The Board of Peace is one of the most important and consequential things that I think I'll be involved in," the President said at the newly renamed 'Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace', adding, "I believe that it is the most consequential board, certainly, in terms of power, and in terms of prestige. There has never been anything close because these are the greatest world leaders. Almost everybody has accepted. And the ones that haven't will." 

As per the White House, the Board of Peace originated as a mechanism to manage the reconstruction of Gaza following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The boards' existence was officially ratified by 19 member nations on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in January. Since then, more countries have agreed to join the Board, bringing its total strength to at least 27. Apart from the United States, the other countries include Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Egypt, El Salvador, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan, as per Time Magazine.

Since its announcement last September as the second phase of Trump's 20-point plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas, the Board of Peace has faced massive controversy over several issues, with some countries looking at it as a way to undermine the United Nations. The other point of contention remains the $1 billion fee the Board demands from nations seeking to become permanent members. 

Several European Union and NATO allies of the U.S.A. have declined Trump's invitation to join the Board, citing these issues. France was among the first countries to reject Trump's offer, with French President Macron saying that the Board's charter "goes beyond the framework of Gaza and raises serious questions, in particular with respect to the principles and structure of the United Nations, which cannot be called into question." The U.K., on the other hand, raised its reservations about Russian President Vladimir Putin's offer to pay $1 billion seeking permanent membership on the Board. Other nations that have rejected the proposal or have agreed to join as observers include Austria, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Canada, Sweden, and Ukraine, as per the Time report.