US media reports say President Donald Trump’s administration has asked countries to pay $1 billion to secure a permanent place on a new body called the “Board of Peace”.
The White House has invited several world leaders to join the board, which would be chaired by Trump himself. Those approached include Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, and Canada’s Mark Carney.
According to Bloomberg, member countries would be represented by their head of state. A standard membership would last three years.
However, countries paying more than $1 billion in cash within the first year could secure a longer stay. This condition is written into the draft charter seen by several media outlets.
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“Each member state shall serve a term of no more than three years from this charter’s entry into force, subject to renewal by the chairman,” the draft charter states.
“The three-year membership term shall not apply to member states that contribute more than USD $1 billion in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the Charter’s entry into force.”
The board was first discussed as a body to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza. But the charter does not limit its role only to Palestinian territory.
The White House says the structure would include a main board, a Palestinian committee of technocrats to manage Gaza, and a second “executive board” with an advisory role.
“The Board of Peace is an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict,” the charter says.
Israeli media reported that the document was sent to dozens of world leaders. It also criticizes global bodies like the United Nations, saying the board should move away from institutions that have “too often failed”.
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Trump has long criticized the UN and recently announced plans for the US to withdraw from dozens of international organizations and treaties.
Under the charter, only states invited by the chairman can join. Trump would also have the power to remove members, unless two-thirds of the board oppose the move.
The idea moved forward as leaders from Egypt, Turkey, Argentina and Canada were asked to join. Trump also named Marco Rubio, Tony Blair, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff as members.
