India on Thursday (February 19) participated in the first meeting as an observer country, a week after reviewing US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace. India’s Charge d’Affairs Namgya C Khampa, posted at the Indian Embassy in the US capital Washington DC, represented the country.
Last month, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump, while describing the outline of the Board of Peace, had stressed that everyone wants to be a part of this organization, which can compete with the United Nations. Initially this board was introduced as an organization that would play a role in governance along with monitoring the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Since then, Trump’s ambitions regarding this board have increased significantly.
Officials from about 50 countries participated in the meeting held at the US Institute of Peace in Washington. These 27 countries are board members, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Other countries, including India and the European Union, participated as observers.
After receiving the invitation to be a part of the board, India did not immediately reveal whether it would accept it or not. India also stayed away from its launch in Davos. On 12 February, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that the proposal was under consideration.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said that regarding the Peace Board, we have received an invitation from the US government to join it. We are considering and reviewing this proposal. He had said that India has always supported efforts to promote peace in West Asia. However, the presence of the Chargé d’Affaires at Thursday’s meeting made it clear that India is ready to join the board, even if it is not yet ready to become a full member.
Trump said in the meeting that 9 member countries Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait have agreed to provide a total of $ 7 billion for the relief package for Gaza. He also announced that the US was giving $10 billion for the peace board, but did not clarify what the money would be spent on.
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