UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Bahrain’s King Hamad Al Khalifa will join President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, the US-led body formed to oversee reconstruction and governance in Gaza but which appears to have broader global ambitions. A draft charter reportedly shows countries must commit $1 billion for a permanent seat, with Trump as lifetime chairman. More details are expected to be revealed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, with many observers saying the board appears to be set up as a rival to the United Nations.
Argentina, Belarus, Hungary, Israel, Kazakhstan, Morocco, and Vietnam have also agreed to join. Many other countries have received invitations, but most Western leaders appear reluctant to get involved at a time when Trump is demanding control of Greenland.
Abu Dhabi previously backed Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan and was the top donor to Gaza during the two-year war that followed Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel; it maintained ties with Israel throughout the conflict. UAE-based Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov — currently director general of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy — was named director general of the Gaza Board of Peace and is tasked with implementing Trump’s plan for the enclave.