Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace' launched amid fears it will rival UN

United States President Donald Trump on Thursday inaugurated his so-called “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Initially designed to cement the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, he now sees it taking a wider role in addressing global challenges, raising concerns it will rival or undermine the United Nations.

Scepticism about board’s membership and mandate has led some of Washington's traditional Western allies to take a pass.

Trump tried not to let who was not at the signing ruin his unveiling party, saying 59 countries had joined up.

He told a group of participating world leaders and top diplomats from Azerbaijan and Paraguay to Hungary that they were the most powerful people in the world.

"And we have many others that have signed up and they all want to be members of the Board of Peace because it really will be important," he said.

"This is not going to be a waste of time. We waste so much time on things that never happen. This will happen. And it's already happening."

Middle Eastern powers like Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have joined, but analysts say few of the 59 countries that have signed up are democracies.

Trump has spoken about the board replacing some United Nations functions and perhaps even making that entire body obsolete one day.

But he was more conciliatory in his remarks in Davos, saying it would be done in conjunction with the United Nations.

The new body – chaired by Trump - was initially seen as a small group of world leaders overseeing Gaza’s rocky ceasefire.

Months into the truce, the Palestinian enclave’s more than two million people continue to suffer amid the humanitarian crisis unleashed by over two years of war.

And it’s being reported that violence in Gaza continues, while not at the same level as before the October truce and hostage deal was agreed on.