WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (ABC): US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United Nations should be allowed to continue its work, even as he floated the idea of a new “Board of Peace” that has raised concern among diplomats and international experts.
Responding to a reporter’s question about whether the proposed board was meant to replace the UN, Trump replied, “Might,” before adding that the UN should still be allowed to function. He said the organisation had not lived up to its potential but remained important because of what it could achieve.
“The UN just hasn’t been very helpful. I am a big fan of the UN potential, but it has never lived up to its potential,” Trump said during a briefing. He added, “I believe you got to let the UN continue because the potential is so great.”
Governments around the world have reacted cautiously to Trump’s invitation to join the new initiative, which he says is aimed at resolving conflicts globally. Diplomats have warned that such a move could undermine the work and authority of the United Nations.
The White House on Friday announced some of the individuals who would sit on the proposed board. The list includes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
A UN Security Council resolution adopted in mid-November authorised the so-called Board of Peace, along with countries working with it, to establish an international stabilisation force in Gaza. The move followed a fragile ceasefire that began in October under a Trump-backed plan, which was accepted by Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.
Under Trump’s Gaza plan, the board was initially intended to oversee the territory’s temporary governance. Trump later said the body would be expanded to address conflicts in other parts of the world.
Observers have warned that the creation of such a board could weaken the United Nations. Human rights experts and advocates have also argued that a US-led body supervising the affairs of a foreign territory resembles a colonial structure. Blair’s inclusion has drawn criticism because of his role in the Iraq war and Britain’s imperial history in the Middle East.
The ceasefire in Gaza reached under Trump’s plan has remained fragile. Since the truce began in October, more than 460 Palestinians, including over 100 children, as well as three Israeli soldiers, have been reported killed.