New Zealand declines invitation to join Trump’s Board of Peace
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US President Donald Trump is seeing a mixed response to the invitations to join his Board of Peace, launched last week.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Trump launched a Board of Peace aiming to solidify Gaza's ceasefire and expand its global role, inviting world leaders to participate.
- New Zealand declined the invitation, with Luxon citing the board's "current form" and Peters noting sufficient regional contributions.
- Peters stressed New Zealand's commitment to the UN, highlighting the need for the Board's work to align with the UN Charter.
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WELLINGTON - New Zealand decided against accepting US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join his Board of Peace, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a statement on Jan 30.
Mr Trump launched his Board of Peace
He has invited dozens of other world leaders to join, and while Middle East powers including Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as well as major emerging nations such as Indonesia, have joined the board, global powers and traditional Western US allies have been more cautious.
Mr Luxon said in an email statement that the decision had been made not to join the Board of Peace in “its current form.”
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Mr Winston Peters, added in a post on X that a number of states, particularly from the region, have stepped up to contribute to the Board’s role on Gaza, and “New Zealand would not add significant further value to that.”
Mr Peters post added that as a “a leading founder and longstanding supporter” of the United Nations, it is important that the Board’s work is complementary to and consistent with the UN Charter.
“It is a new body, and we need clarity on this, and on other questions relating to its scope, now and in the future,” Mr Peters said. REUTERS
