Shehbaz Sharif’s Backseat, Fewer Than 20 Countries: Trump’s Gaza ‘Board Of Peace’ Takes Off

Last Updated:January 22, 2026, 16:36 IST

Trump had first announced the formation of the ‘Board of Peace’ on January 15, 2026, as part of Phase Two of his 20-point plan to end the Gaza conflict.

In letters sent to prospective members, Trump described it as a “bold new approach to resolving global conflict”.

US President Donald Trump formally unveiled the inaugural charter of his international ‘Board of Peace’ at the World Economic Forum in Davos, but the launch raised as many questions about optics and participation as it answered about the initiative’s purpose.

The signing ceremony drew scrutiny for its visual choreography. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has been cited as engaging with the initiative, was conspicuously absent from the front row- a detail that reinforced perceptions of uneven diplomatic standing within the group. The limited turnout also stood out: fewer than 20 countries participated in what Trump has billed as a transformative global body.

A Billion-Dollar Seat At the Table

Trump described the ‘Board of Peace’ as a new international mechanism for resolving global conflicts, with permanent membership reportedly carrying a $1 billion price tag. Originally conceived to oversee reconstruction and governance in Gaza following the Israel-Palestine war, the initiative has since been reframed as a broader conflict-resolution platform.

“Everybody wants to be a part of the Board of Peace," Trump said in his opening remarks, adding that the United States would continue working “with many others, including the United Nations."

Who Showed Up

The Davos event brought together presidents, prime ministers, and senior diplomats from just over a dozen countries. Attendees included Argentina’s Javier Milei, Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto, Paraguay’s Santiago Peña, Uzbekistan’s Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Armenia’s Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev.

Trump struck a cautiously optimistic tone on Gaza. He said the war was “really coming to an end," though “little fires" still needed to be extinguished. He issued a stark ultimatum to Hamas: disarm or face elimination, and return the final body of an Israeli hostage.

“They have to give up their weapons, and if they don’t do that, it’s going to be the end of them," Trump said, adding that Hamas members were “born with rifles in their hands."

Trump first announced the ‘Board of Peace’ on January 15, 2026, as part of Phase Two of his 20-point plan to end the Gaza conflict. His administration subsequently reached out to global leaders to serve as founding members of bodies tasked with governance and reconstruction in post-war Gaza. While some countries signed on, others declined, citing diplomatic and policy concerns.

According to the White House, the board’s mandate will encompass governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction and large-scale funding mobilization. In letters to prospective members, Trump described it as a “bold new approach to resolving global conflict" and “the most impressive and consequential board ever assembled."

News world Shehbaz Sharif’s Backseat, Fewer Than 20 Countries: Trump’s Gaza ‘Board Of Peace’ Takes Off

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