In a surprising move, former US President Donald Trump has withdrawn an invitation for Canada to join his “board of peace” initiative, a proposed international body aimed at resolving global conflicts. The announcement came on Thursday, as world leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Trump had initially described the board as “one of the most consequential bodies ever created in the history of the world,” and claimed it would oversee the governance and reconstruction of Gaza. However, the plan faced immediate scepticism, with the leaders of many liberal democracies declining to sign on.
Despite this, Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, had previously accepted the invitation in principle, though he noted that his officials had not yet finalised the details of the structure, financing, and operations of the board.
In a frank address to the Davos audience, Carney went on to describe a “rupture” in the previous “rules-based” world order overseen by the United States, caused by Trump’s aggressive behaviour. This appears to have been the catalyst for Trump’s decision to withdraw the invitation.
In his own Davos speech, Trump made a thinly veiled jab at Carney, saying “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statement.” Carney was quick to respond, stating “Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian.”
The Canadian government has since confirmed that it does not plan to contribute the $1 billion that Trump had requested from member nations for a permanent seat on the board, which was originally described as a temporary body.
UN spokesperson Rolando Gomez stated that the UN’s engagement with the board would only be in the context of Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which was endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution. However, several key US allies, including the UK, France, and Italy, have indicated they will not join the initiative for now.
As the diplomatic tensions continue to simmer, the future of Trump’s “board of peace” remains uncertain, highlighting the challenges of navigating the shifting geopolitical landscape.
