UN-usual: Board of PEACE

With drum beats and mantra of ‘might is right’ and chorus of war cries creating a cacophony of crises after crises, amid the conspicuous absence of United Nations as the legitimate conductor, the illusive song of ‘peace’ is now facing the cancellation of notes and scores- left, right and centre. Active armed conflicts, communal flare-ups, battles, media wars, disinformation and viral blanket censorships infecting institutions buoyed by AI bots, the world is increasingly being lulled into indifference and numbness – be it genocides, starvation, bombed masses or generations left shattered with covert and overt proxy wars and pretenses of incursion and invasion.

Rounds of futile resolutions condemning actions by rogue and erring nations, quibbling over diplomatic semantics and wordsmithing at the UN Security Council, derailed by vexing vetoes of a chosen few coupled with the impotence of ICC (International Criminal Court), has made the United Nations a bumbling behemoth incapable of leading and bringing decisive ‘peace on earth’. It has miserably failed in meeting the very basics of its mandate from human rights and humanitarian aid to proactively preventing sufferings of starving masses. In a blunt speech at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York last September, Trump expressed his frustration and serious concerns about the UN. “…I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of each and every one of these countries, and never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help in finalising the deal…Not only is the UN not solving the problems it should, too often, it’s actually creating new problems for the US to solve…”.

Like his often-touted hyperbole or not, there is widespread acknowledgement that the United Nations is ineffective and inept at providing proactive, visionary solutions. It has seldom demonstrated serious introspection that pins accountability, advocates internal change in leadership or approach to resolving global issues. Often there is complete radio silence or lack of visibility and credibility in precipitating rapid implementation of metrics to save life and limb on the ground at flashpoints.

Between the Maduro ‘capture’ in Venezuela, Mark Carney speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos warning of an impending rupture of global order, the Ukraine conflict with its shifting goal-posts of an elusive peace, cluster fire of ricocheting tariff bullets hitting everything non-MAGA and the advancing armada of US Naval assets in the Persian Gulf – the high ticket Board of Peace (BoP) in Gaza seems like a utopian mirage with an Orwellian flourish. Proposed in September 2025, formalised on the sidelines of the 56th WEF in January 2026, and incorporated into United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 as a body to oversee the resolution's implementation in relation to the post-war reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could not attend the ceremony, due to concerns that he may be arrested by Swiss authorities given the International Criminal Court arrest warrant related to his alleged war crimes.

As of January 2026, 26 of the 62 invitees accepted their invitations, with Trump rescinding Canada’s participation following the Davos dilemma.  Many see the growing power of ‘pay to play’, as the first step towards seeking a replacement to the United Nations. Interestingly, Board of Peace Charter sent out to potential founding members makes no mention of Gaza and indicates that the US would like the panel of world leaders to become the world’s preeminent conflict resolution body. The charter also calls for $1 billion in voluntary contributions from nations committing three years on the board and assures members of highest standards in fiscal prudence and accountability.

An estimated $70 billion would go into early rebuilding of ‘New Gaza’, which includes removal of over 60 million tonnes of rubble and bombed debris from 85 per cent destruction of its buildings on the 25 km strip, could easily take at least seven years. The aim is to turn it into a high-investment Riviera. Raging debates call for atonement, reparations and justice that places a premium on shattered bleeding hearts and lost families over destruction of bricks and mortar.

There has never been a more poignant moment in time for the United Nations to meet its mandate and be the voice for the voiceless. As accusations of power grab linked to the Board of Peace and calls to stem dangerous delusions threatening to crater democratic values of equality and liberty grow louder, the proverbial elephant has already left the room, yet continues to firmly sway the House towards a new Reality.

The author is an India-born Canadian Commonwealth Scholar, founding president of multiple institutions, author and an ambassador of peace, through his decades of work in the realm of Cultural Diplomacy and Sustainable Development Goals