Pakistan and seven other Muslim-majority countries on Wednesday issued a joint statement announcing their decision to join US President Donald Trump’s so-called Board of Peace.
The statement was released by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who said they had welcomed the invitation extended by President Trump to their respective leaders.
“The ministers announce their countries’ shared decision to join the Board of Peace. Each country will sign the accession documents in accordance with its relevant legal and procedural requirements,” the statement said, noting that Egypt, Pakistan and the UAE have already formally announced their participation.
The eight countries had previously worked with President Trump in October last year on a plan aimed at ending Israel’s war and invasion of Gaza. The UAE announced its decision to join the board on Tuesday, while Pakistan and Egypt followed with separate announcements on Wednesday.
Reaffirming their support for Trump’s peace initiative, the ministers said their countries were committed to assisting in the implementation of the board’s mission as a transitional administration, as outlined in the Comprehensive Plan to end the Gaza conflict and endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803. The plan, they said, seeks to consolidate a permanent ceasefire, support Gaza’s reconstruction and advance a just and lasting peace based on the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood under international law, thereby promoting regional security and stability.
The joint announcement came hours after Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) separately confirmed that Islamabad had accepted President Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace with the objective of achieving lasting peace in Gaza. According to the FO, the invitation was extended to Pakistan last week.
“In response to the invitation extended to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif by US President Donald J. Trump, Pakistan announces its decision to join the Board of Peace as part of its ongoing efforts to support the implementation of the Gaza peace plan under the framework of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803,” the FO said.
The statement added that Pakistan hoped the new framework would lead to concrete steps towards a permanent ceasefire, a significant expansion of humanitarian assistance for Palestinians, and the reconstruction of Gaza.
Pakistan also expressed hope that these efforts would culminate in the realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination through a credible, time-bound political process, consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions, resulting in the establishment of an independent, sovereign and contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital.
“Pakistan looks forward to continuing to play a constructive role as part of the Board of Peace to achieve these objectives and to help end the suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” the FO said.
President Trump first proposed the creation of the Board of Peace last September as part of his plan to end the Gaza conflict. However, invitations sent to world leaders last week outlined a broader global mandate for the body.
A draft charter circulated by the US administration to around 60 countries, and seen by Reuters, reportedly requires members to contribute $1 billion in cash if they wish to retain membership beyond three years. The inclusion of a charter has raised concerns among some European governments, who fear the initiative could undermine the role of the United Nations — an institution Trump has previously criticised for failing to support his conflict-resolution efforts.
The Financial Times has reported that the Trump administration intends to expand the Board of Peace into a permanent global organisation that could rival the UN.
According to the draft charter, the board is envisioned as a “more nimble and effective international peace-building body” and would be chaired by President Trump. It would initially focus on Gaza before expanding its remit to address other global conflicts.
The document grants sweeping executive powers to the chairman, allowing Trump to serve indefinitely unless he resigns voluntarily or is removed due to incapacity by a unanimous board vote. It also gives him the authority to appoint or remove member states — decisions that could only be overturned by a two-thirds majority — effectively granting him veto power over board decisions. The chairman would also have exclusive authority to create, amend or dissolve subsidiary bodies.
The charter criticises existing international institutions and calls for pragmatic judgement, common sense and the courage to move away from what it describes as often ineffective mechanisms for achieving lasting peace.
So far, only a handful of countries — including Hungary, Israel and the UAE — have accepted the invitation to join the Board of Peace without reservations.