Why is Norway Refusing to Join Trump's 'Board of Peace'?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Helsinki, Feb 20 (NationPress) Norway has firmly stated that it will not participate in US President Donald Trump's so-called "Board of Peace", as confirmed by the nation's foreign ministry.
During the inaugural session of the Board of Peace at the US Institute of Peace, Trump announced that the United States would allocate $10 billion to the initiative and implied that Norway would host a related event, according to a report by Xinhua news agency.
Ane Jorem, a representative from Norway's foreign ministry, dismissed this assertion and reiterated that Norway will not join the board, as reported by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK).
"Norway has made it absolutely clear that we will not join the Board of Peace, and our stance is unwavering," Jorem stated, as quoted by NRK.
Furthermore, Jorem mentioned that Norway plans to hold a spring meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, an international framework that Norway has long chaired to coordinate aid for Palestinians, and the country is in consultation with relevant parties regarding discussions on the Gaza peace initiative during this meeting.
Norway remains among several European nations, including France, Germany, and Britain, that have opted out of the contentious board, which Trump officially launched on January 22 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
In the meantime, President Trump seeks to position his Board of Peace as a super international organization that would oversee the UN while expanding its focus beyond Gaza, the original purpose for its establishment.