Davos (Switzerland), Jan. 21, 2026 (dpa/NAN) UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock has shrugged off concerns that U.S. President Donald Trump might be planning to establish a rival organisation to the United Nations.
Trump, who recently unveiled the make-up of his so-called Board of Peace that is set to oversee reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip, has faced criticism over the body’s charter.
Critics say the document, which it is believed Trump will sign in Davos on Thursday, outlines ambitions to expand the board’s remit to engage with conflicts and crises beyond Gaza, in what is perceived to be an undisguised challenge to the UN.
Baerbock stressed that the Board of Peace, which Trump is set to chair himself, has been given a clear mandate on Gaza by the UN Security Council, whose resolutions are binding under international law.
Meanwhile, the UN charter is “existential for peace, security and prosperity,” Baerbock, who served as German foreign minister from 2021 to 2025, said.
“The vast majority of countries know that international peace is their life insurance policy and that global rules are also necessary for the success of their economies and development.”
She said that if “some countries” were now trying to pursue their interests by force, “this cross-regional alliance, in spite of all the differences that otherwise exist. (dpa/NAN)
