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United Nations: With US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace on Gaza being seen as a rival, a United Nations spokesperson said the world body has “coexisted” alongside various global institutions and would wait to see “what sort of relationship” it has with the US-led initiative.
“The UN has coexisted alongside any number of organisations. There are regional organisations, subregional organisations, and various defence alliances around the world,” Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said.
“Some of them, we have relationship agreements with. Some of them, we don't. We would have to see in terms of details what the Board of Peace becomes as it actually is established to know what sort of relationship we would have with it,” he said.
Haq was responding to questions Monday at the daily press briefing on the Board of Peace for the redevelopment of Gaza announced by Trump and for which the US president has extended invitations to world leaders to join.
When asked whether the secretary-general has received any invitation to be on the Board, Haq said “I'm not aware of any communication that we've received on any of this.” On the one billion USD price tag required for a country to be on the Board as a permanent member, Haq said “We've seen these reports. We can't confirm this….Obviously, different groupings have their own rules, their own bylaws, and so forth. We don't comment on other groups and their rules.” Trump will deliver a special address to the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos on Wednesday, when he will also participate in a greeting with the Forum's leadership, meet foreign leaders and attend a reception with business leaders.
On Thursday, on the margins of the World Economic Forum, Trump will participate in the “Board of Peace Charter announcement”, where nations would be invited to sign the charter, joining the body aimed for Gaza’s redevelopment under his comprehensive plan to end the conflict.
Trump has invited several global leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to join the Board of Peace, seen as a rival to the United Nations, that will work towards bringing lasting peace to Gaza and embark on a "bold new approach" to resolve "global conflict”.
Guterres, who is currently in Switzerland, has cancelled his planned trip to the Swiss Alps town of Davos due to a “bad cold", Haq said.
“The secretary-general is currently near Geneva, Switzerland, where he is meeting with his special and personal representatives and envoys. Following these meetings, he will return to New York and has cancelled his planned trip to Davos due to a bad cold,” Haq said.
He added that the Board of Peace has been “strictly” authorised by the Security Council for its work on Gaza.
“We're not talking about the wider operations or any of the aspects that have been in the media for the last several days. What we're talking about is the work on Gaza,” he said.
“As you know, we have welcomed the ceasefire in Gaza and measures to support it, including the Board of Peace, and we'll continue to work with all parties on the ground to make sure that the ceasefire is upheld.
“That is about Gaza. The larger aspects are things for anyone wanting to participate in this grouping to consider. Obviously, the UN has its own Charter, its own rules, and you can do your own compare and contrast between the respective organisations,” Haq said.
Davos is hosting global leaders and business heavyweights as the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum began January 19 and will run till January 23.
Trump’s presence at Davos comes amidst tensions between the US and European nations over his push to acquire Greenland and impose tariffs on countries until “a deal” is reached to purchase Greenland.
Trump had announced that he will impose a 10 per cent tariff on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland starting February 1 and this levy will be increased to 25 per cent beginning June this year “due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland”.
Trump unveiled the Board as part of the second phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Indian-American President of the World Bank Ajay Banga and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio are among the leaders named to the Board of Peace.