Trump launches Board of Peace that some fear rivals UN

US President Donald Trump on Jan 22 launched his Board of Peace, initially focused on shoring up Gaza’s ceasefire, but with a potentially broader role that could unsettle other global powers, even as he said it would work with the United Nations.

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“Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do, and we'll do it in conjunction with the United Nations,” Mr Trump said, adding that the UN had great potential that had not been fully utilised.

Mr Trump, who will chair the board, has invited dozens of other world leaders to join it and sees the group as addressing global challenges beyond Gaza, though he does not intend it as a replacement for the UN, he has said.

He appeared to touch on those concerns in his opening remarks at a signing ceremony for the board, saying it would work with the UN, as he listed other major diplomatic issues around the region and worldwide.

“Well, this is a very exciting day, long in the making, and many countries have just received their notice, and everybody wants to be a part of it, and we'll work with many others, including the United Nations,” he said.

A group of leaders and senior officials from 19 countries, including Mr Trump’s allies from Argentina and Hungary, gathered onstage with Mr Trump to put their names to the founding charter of the body.

Mr Trump said they were “in most cases very popular leaders, some cases not so popular”. He added: “That’s the way it goes in life.”