New Zealand has decided not to accept U.S. President Donald Trump’s invitation to participate in the recently launched Board of Peace, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a statement on Friday. The decision, Luxon said, reflects the government’s view of the board "in its current form."
President Trump unveiled the Board of Peace last week with an initial aim of helping to secure and stabilise a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. He has described the body as having potential to take on a broader role involving other global powers, and has extended invitations to dozens of world leaders to join.
A number of countries from the Middle East have already accepted membership, including Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Indonesia, cited as a major emerging nation, has also joined the board. By contrast, several global powers and traditional Western allies of the United States have adopted a more cautious stance toward the initiative.
New Zealand’s foreign minister, Winston Peters, commented on the decision via a post on X. Peters noted that "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.'"
Peters added that, as "a leading founder and longstanding supporter" of the United Nations, New Zealand considers it important that the Board’s work be complementary to and consistent with the UN Charter. He said: "It is a new body, and we need clarity on this, and on other questions relating to its scope, now and in the future."
The New Zealand government therefore concluded that, pending clearer definition of the board’s mandate and assurances of alignment with established multilateral frameworks, it would not join the Board of Peace at this time.
Context limitations: The government statement and the foreign minister’s post cited above set out New Zealand’s position and the reasons given; they do not provide further details on what specific clarifications or changes would be required for New Zealand to reconsider participation.