DAVOS: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday signed the charter of the newly established “Board of Peace” during a ceremony chaired by United States President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
The initiative was initially conceived as a platform to address Israel’s war on Gaza, although its charter does not confine the board’s mandate solely to the occupied Palestinian territory.
Heads of state and government attending the WEF are signing the charter in phases at the meeting led by President Trump, who described the participating leaders as close allies. “Every one of them are friends of mine. I like every single one of them,” the US president said, adding that several countries had expressed interest in joining the initiative.
Trump noted that invitations were sent out earlier in the week and that many leaders present in Davos chose to formally join the board during the forum. “Let me recognise the very first group of the distinguished members of the Board of Peace,” he said, praising the signatories as influential figures in their respective countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz was among those seated in the audience after Pakistan formally accepted Trump’s invitation to become a member of the Board of Peace on Wednesday.
During his address, President Trump also commented on the situation in Gaza, stating that Hamas must disarm under the ceasefire agreement, warning that failure to do so would lead to the “end” of the Palestinian movement.
