Dozens of global leaders were invited to join the body, including President Lula
wants to create a “Peace Council” tailored to resolve conflicts around the world, which, according to its critics, seeks to rival the UN and whose founding charter could be signed on Thursday (22), in
A source close to the President of the United States reported that Trump will present the founding charter of this “Council” for signature on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Approximately 35 leaders have already agreed to support the initiative, whose letter will come into force once at least three states have signed it.
What is it about?
The White House had announced that, as part of the plan to end the war in the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip, a “Peace Council” would be formed, chaired by Trump.
But the draft reveals a much broader initiative and mandate than just the Gaza issue, outlining itself as a replacement body for the UN.
This initiative “is not a plan by “, declared a United Nations spokesperson in Geneva on Tuesday, reiterating that Trump’s plan was “authorized by the Security Council only for its action in Gaza”.
The mission
“The Peace Council is an international organization that seeks to promote stability, re-establish reliable and legitimate governance and ensure lasting peace in regions affected or threatened by conflict”, states the preamble of its statutes, which criticizes “approaches and institutions that have failed too often”, in a clear allusion to the UN.
Trump all-powerful
Trump will be the first president of the Peace Council, whose powers are very broad: only he is authorized to invite other heads of state and government to join the body and can revoke his participation, except in the case of “veto by a two-thirds majority of member states”.
The executive council, led by Trump, will have seven members, including the American Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Membership fee
The text specifies that each member state will serve a mandate of up to three years from the date of entry into force of the Charter, renewable by the president.
This term of office does not apply to member states that contribute more than 1 billion dollars (R$5.33 billion) to the Peace Council during the first year after the entry into force of the Charter.
Who ever said yes?
In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accepted his ally Trump’s invitation to become a founding member.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to join the council, as did Argentine President Javier Milei, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani.
Saudi diplomacy announced the “joint decision” of the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan to join the organization.
Also participating will be the monarch of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa; King Mohammed VI of Morocco will join as a “founding member”; and the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.
Which countries refused?
Norway, France and Ukraine, whose president, Volodimir Zelensky, “does not foresee” participating alongside Russia.
Who hasn’t responded yet?
Russia stated that it wanted to “clarify all the nuances” of the invitation with Washington before making a decision, and President Vladimir Putin announced this Wednesday that he had ordered his diplomacy to “study” the issue.
China did not indicate whether it accepted, although it stated that it “firmly defends the international system with the United Nations as its central axis”.
The UK wishes to examine the “modalities” of the invitation; Germany expressed the need to “coordinate” with its partners; and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, reserves her response, as does the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenkovic, who wants more time, while the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, declared that the situation is being “examined”.
Pope Leo XIV received an invitation, and Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s number two, declared: “We are considering what to do.”
Other invited countries
Italy, Sweden, Finland, Albania, Greece, Slovenia, Poland, Bulgaria, Brazil, Paraguay, India and South Korea are also among the guests.
*With AFP
