Washington: Foreign ministers from eight Muslim-majority countries have confirmed their governments will join US President Donald Trump’s proposed "Board of Peace", throwing their weight behind a US-led initiative that has exposed sharp divisions across Europe and the Middle East over its legitimacy.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said they welcomed an invitation extended by Trump to their leaders to join the body and had taken a "shared decision" to sign on.
According to the statement, the board’s mandate is anchored in the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict and endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.
While several governments have agreed to join, the initiative has met resistance from parts of Europe. Norway and Sweden have declined their invitations, following France’s earlier refusal. Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni also said she cannot join the Board of Peace immediately and needs more time to review the proposal.
Countries that have agreed to take part include Israel, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Morocco, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, alongside the eight Islamic nations.
