US President Donald Trump’s visit to Davos for the World Economic Forum has turned into a major setback for his global diplomacy efforts. What was meant to be a strong international debut for his new peace initiative instead highlighted growing resistance to his leadership on key global issues. After already being forced to retreat from his controversial demand over Greenland due to a united stand by European countries, Trump faced another blow when his much-publicised ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza failed to gain wide support.

Trump had invited around 60 countries from across the world to join this new body, which he personally planned to lead. However, most major nations chose not to participate. In the end, only about one-third of the invited countries agreed to be part of the board, making the launch far weaker than what the US President had promised.

The new body, which was intended to mediate global conflicts starting with a ceasefire in Gaza, began its journey with just 19 member countries apart from the United States. This was far below the ambitious vision promoted by Trump in the weeks leading up to the World Economic Forum. Key global players such as India, China, France, Russia, and the European Union decided to stay away, raising serious questions about the board’s credibility and future role.

The ‘Board of Peace’ was officially launched by Donald Trump in Davos during the 2026 World Economic Forum on Thursday morning. Invitations had been sent to countries from every continent, and White House officials had earlier claimed that at least 35 nations were expected to join. That claim proved inaccurate. At the launch ceremony, only 20 countries, including the USA, were present, exposing a clear gap between official expectations and reality.

One of the most striking aspects of the launch was the complete absence of Western European nations. Their decision not to join the board clearly signalled ongoing tensions with Trump, especially after the recent dispute over Greenland. According to reports, the countries that joined the board and were present at the launch were Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UAE, and Uzbekistan, along with the United States.

Although Albania, Belarus, and Vietnam had earlier indicated that they would join the board, their leaders did not attend the Davos event. This further reduced the visible international backing for the initiative at its launch.

A closer look at the list of participating countries shows that most of them come from the Middle East, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe. Many of these nations are not democracies, and several are Muslim-majority countries governed under Islamic laws. The absence of large democratic powers and influential global economies has added to doubts about how effective or representative the board can be.

Several countries that declined to join issued official statements explaining their decision. A common concern raised was that the new board might attempt to replace or weaken the role of the United Nations. Others pointed to the invitation sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a reason for staying away. However, Putin himself declined the invitation, stating that his government was still consulting with Russia’s strategic partners on the matter.

The United Kingdom confirmed that it would not be present at the board’s launch. France openly stated that it would not join because the board could try to take the place of the UN. Norway, Sweden, Slovenia, and China also confirmed that they would not participate. Several other major countries chose not to issue formal statements but still stayed away from the event. These included India, Germany, Italy, Japan, the European Union, and many others.

Despite the poor turnout, Trump has continued to express optimism about the future of his initiative. He said, “Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. And we’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations.” The statement reflects Trump’s belief that more countries may eventually join, even though the initial response has been largely negative.

The Gaza Board of Peace is part of Phase 2 of Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan for West Asia. This phase focuses on stabilising Gaza after the war and managing post-conflict reconstruction. The idea was first introduced last September as a tool to help end the Gaza conflict, but it has since expanded into a broader platform aimed at resolving international disputes beyond the region.

According to a White House statement, the board’s Executive Committee would oversee several key areas linked to Gaza’s recovery and long-term development. These include governance capacity-building, regional engagement, reconstruction efforts, investment mobilisation, and large-scale financing projects meant to support stability in the region.

A notable and controversial feature of the board is its optional joining fee. Countries that pay USD 1 billion would receive permanent seats on the board, while those that do not contribute financially would be allowed to serve three-year terms. At present, it is not known whether any of the participating countries paid this fee when joining the board, adding another layer of uncertainty around how the body will function in practice.