WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Thursday withdrew an invite for Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney to join his newly constituted “Board of Peace.”
“Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. AFP reports.
Carney drew international attention this week with comments about a “rupture” in the US-led global order. His government has also said it would not pay to join Trump’s self-styled body to end global conflicts.
Meanwhile, European Council President Antonio Costa said EU leaders had serious doubts about the scope of the proposed body, but were willing to work with it in Gaza.
The board, which would grant US President Donald Trump wide decision-making powers as chairman, is being promoted by Washington as a new international organisation aimed at resolving conflicts.
Trump did not explain in a post on Thursday evening why he had decided to revoke Canada’s offer to join.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office did not immediately respond. Carney had said last week that he would accept Trump’s invitation “on principle”.
However, Ottawa had signalled in recent days that it would not pay the $1 billion (£740 million) membership fee that Trump has said permanent members would be required to contribute to fund the board.
Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” was initially seen as an initiative to help end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and to oversee post-war reconstruction. But the draft charter makes no explicit reference to the Palestinian territory and appears designed to take on roles traditionally held by the United Nations. Under the proposal, Trump would serve as chairman for life.
According to the White House, around 60 countries have been invited to join the board, with about 35 having already signed up.
Those reported to have agreed so far include Argentina, Belarus, Morocco, Vietnam, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kosovo, Hungary, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
None of the other permanent members of the UN Security Council — China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom — have so far committed to joining.
The UK has raised concerns about the inclusion of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces invaded Ukraine in 2022 and continue to fight there. France has said the charter in its current form is “incompatible” with its international obligations, particularly its membership of the UN.
Speaking on Friday after an EU leaders’ summit in Brussels, Costa said: “We have serious doubts about a number of elements in the charter of the Board of Peace related to its scope, its governance and its compatibility with the UN Charter.”
However, he added that the European Union was “ready to work together with the US on the implementation of the comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza, with a Board of Peace carrying out its mission as a transitional administration”.
After the summit, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told reporters that Spain had “declined” the invitation to participate in the body.
