20 more countries sign up for Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace' initiative: White House

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday stated that 20 additional countries have signed up to join US President Donald Trumps Board of Peace though she did not disclose the names of the new participantsLeavitt said the Board of Peace originally mandated by the UN Security Council to oversee the management of Gaza for the next two years is now being positioned by the Trump administration to address conflicts in other parts of the world She acknowledged that the initiative has faced resistance from some Western nations uneasy about what they view as the boards attempt to sideline the United NationsAddressing reporters at the White House Leavitt also described the return of the last remaining Israeli hostage from Gaza as a huge foreign policy feat for Trump Israel and the global community The announcement follows Trump signing the charter to formally launch his Board of Peace initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22Trump has previously described the body as potentially the most prestigious board ever formed Calling it a very exciting day long in the making Trump said Were going to have peace in the world adding And were all stars In his opening remarks Trump said Just one year ago the world was actually on fire a lot of people didnt know it but claimed many good things are happening and that threats worldwide are really calming downTrump said his administration was settling eight wars and claimed a lot of progress had been made towards ending Russias war in Ukraine The initiative originated from the US presidents 20point Gaza ceasefire plan endorsed by the UN Security Council but has since expanded beyond its original scope Administration officials said around 35 nations had committed to join while 60 received invitations with Trump suggesting the new body could assume roles currently held by the United NationsTrump said We have a lot of great people that want to join during a meeting with Egyptian President AbdelFattah elSisi whose country has confirmed membership He added that some leaders required parliamentary approval before committing while other countries not invited were seeking inclusion Defending the inclusion of Russias Vladimir Putin and other leaders Trump said he wanted everybody who was powerful and could get the job doneSeveral European allies declined participation citing concerns over the boards expanded mandate and its impact on the international system based on the UN Charter The UK also said it would not sign the treaty during Trumps ceremony British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said referencing concerns over Putins invitationAccording to a copy of the charter cited by media outlets countries seeking permanent membership would need to contribute USD 1 billion while nonpaying members would receive a threeyear mandate The charter also designates Trump as permanent chairman even after leaving office Trump linked the initiative to his approach on Iran and said it played a role in securing the IsraelHamas ceasefire If we didnt do that there was no chance of making peace he saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever