New Zealand Declines Trump’s Board of Peace Invitation

New Zealand has declined U.S. President Donald Trump’s invitation to join his “Board of Peace,” originally envisioned as a body to govern Gaza following the latest war there, but since pitched as a permanent fixture in world geopolitics.

Invitations were issued to heads of state worldwide, with preliminary information indicating that membership would be free.

However, a subsequent draft charter indicated that the United States planned to charge countries at least US$1 billion (NZ$1.65 billion) to extend their terms.

Ministers initially said New Zealand was considering accepting the invitation, with speculation fuelled by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters’ praise of the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and his questioning whether it was worth New Zealand continuing to contribute to its funding.

In a social media post on Jan. 23, Peters called WHO “a bunch of unelected globalist bureaucrats” who were “not accountable or responsible with worldwide taxpayers’ money.”

However, on Jan. 30, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon ruled out taking up Trump’s invitation, saying that his government would not to join the Board of Peace in “its current form.”

Peters then took to his official X account to say that New Zealand “recognises the leadership of the United States, in close coordination with nations from the region, on advancing peace in Gaza.”

While the foreign affairs minister said New Zealand saw a role for itself in the Board of Peace, he noted the country would not be able to contribute significantly to progress toward peace in Gaza.

“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,” he wrote on social media.

“As 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 U.N. 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. New Zealand will not be joining the Board in its current form but will continue to monitor developments.”

Meanwhile, opposition parties said it was “embarrassing” the idea had ever been considered.

Earlier this week, Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the idea could cost billions and equated to setting up “an alternative institution to the United Nations, in which Donald Trump gets to install himself as CEO of planet Earth.”