United nations: US President Donald Trump’s newly created Board of Peace has been dominating headlines all around the world since its signing ceremony on the sidelines of the 56th World Economic Forum last week in Davos. Nevertheless, confusion amongst commentators surrounds developments, particularly regarding how today’s Board of Peace compares to what the UN itself had initially considered a laudable effort last November; in other words, has President Trump single-handedly changed its agreed-upon agenda?
According to Anadolu Agency, in September, the US administration presented a 20-step plan to the UN for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, including setting up a Board of Peace in a second step. In November, the UN Security Council supported the idea, lending it an air of respectability and legitimacy. However, President Trump had much broader ambitions: preparing a Charter draft aimed at building an international organization with wider goals than simply facilitating a ceasefire and rebuilding Gaza. These goal
s include promoting global stability, peace, and governance in any region suffering from, or at risk of suffering from, conflicts.
Davos saw 19 governments agreeing to sign up, with a total of just over 60 potentially targeted by Trump. Notably, both Trkiye and Azerbaijan are participating in the Board of Peace, while most European countries, with Hungary as an exception, were absent.
The Board of Peace will be complemented by a Board of Peace Executive Board composed of eight members, including former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair and the US secretary of state. Additionally, there will be a Gaza Executive Board comprised of 11 members, including Trkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
What could Trump really have in mind-rebuilding Gaza, of course, but why his seemingly ‘global’ ambition? Trump’s domestic Make America Great Again (MAGA) strategy might transform into a ‘Make the World Great Again’ (MWGA) strategy. This change in tactics reflects Trump’s evolving view of the US as a global player. During
his election campaign, he focused on domestic issues like the economy and migration, but over time, he recognized the benefits of promoting the USA as a global power.
Trump has been outspoken in condemning the UN as ineffective, raising questions about whether he plans to abolish it entirely. While United Nations reform, including its Security Council, is considered overdue, some argue it would be better to reform from within, as suggested by Trkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2021.
Criticism arises over whether Trump’s Board of Peace, with its centralized power structure, could be more effective than the current UN Security Council. The Board’s potential for regionalization and fragmentation of the world is a concern, as is the risk of conflicts overshadowing the initial focus on Gaza. However, Trkiye and Azerbaijan’s involvement suggests a new global order may be emerging. Whether Trump’s Board of Peace is a domestic play or a genuine global initiative remains to be seen, with the UN’s future pote
ntially on the table if Russia participates in Trump’s Board(s).