分类： politics

DAVOS, Switzerland — U.S. President Donald Trump formally inaugurated the “Board of Peace” during a high-profile signing ceremony at the World Economic Forum on Thursday. The newly established international body, which requires a $1 billion fee for permanent membership, has already drawn significant criticism over its funding model and controversial list of participant nations.

Leaders and senior officials from 19 countries joined Trump on stage for the charter signing, including staunch allies such as Argentina’s Javier Milei and Hungary’s Viktor Orban. Trump, who serves as the board’s chairman, remarked that the assembled leaders were “in most cases very popular leaders, some cases not so popular,” acknowledging the divisive nature of some invitations.

Originally conceived to oversee post-war peace efforts in Gaza following the Hamas-Israel conflict, the board’s charter now envisions a broader mandate in international conflict resolution. This expansion has raised concerns among diplomatic circles that Trump intends to position the organization as a potential rival to the United Nations, though Trump emphasized the board would operate “in conjunction” with the UN.

The membership criteria have proven particularly contentious. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched the invasion of Ukraine four years ago, has received an invitation to join. Trump confirmed Putin’s agreement to participate, while the Kremlin stated the invitation remains under consideration. The $1 billion membership requirement has prompted accusations that the board could become a “pay-to-play” version of the UN Security Council.

Notable absences marked the ceremony, with key U.S. allies including the United Kingdom and France declining to attend. British officials confirmed their non-participation earlier Thursday, reflecting widespread skepticism among traditional Western partners.

The signing nations predominantly represented governments with close ties to Trump or those seeking to demonstrate allegiance to the U.S. administration. Participants included officials from Bahrain, Morocco, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant related to the Gaza conflict, affirmed his intention to join despite not attending the ceremony. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the board’s initial focus would be “first and foremost on making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring.” Trump delivered a stern warning that Hamas must disarm under the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire accord or face elimination.

The board’s launch coincides with Trump’s expressed frustration over not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, despite his claims of having ended eight conflicts during his presidency.

In related diplomatic developments, Trump is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos following the ceremony to discuss ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff revealed that talks with Moscow have made “a lot of progress” and have been narrowed to “one issue,” though he declined to specify the nature of this remaining obstacle. Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to travel to Moscow for further discussions before proceeding to Abu Dhabi for military-to-military talks.

Zelensky has expressed concerns that Trump’s highly publicized effort to acquire Greenland—which has dominated Davos discussions and strained transatlantic relations—might divert attention from Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. In a significant development, Trump announced Wednesday evening that he had reached a “framework of a future deal” with NATO chief Mark Rutte, resulting in the waiver of tariffs scheduled to hit European allies on February 1. Although details remain scarce, sources indicate the agreement will involve renegotiation of a 1951 Greenland defense pact.

DAVOS, Switzerland — In a significant address at the World Economic Forum, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala issued a stern warning about the escalating global trend toward protectionist trade policies. While acknowledging that approximately 72% of international commerce still operates under established WTO frameworks, she expressed deep concern about recent deviations from multilateral trade principles.

The former Nigerian finance minister highlighted the complex challenges facing global trade governance, particularly regarding how nations justify protectionist measures under the guise of national security interests. “In this environment we have now, where certain countries feel ‘we need to fight for our national interests’, how do we proceed?” she questioned during a panel discussion. “What are the measures that are legitimate, and which are not? And if it’s national security, who determines your national security? What are the guardrails?”

Her comments came amid renewed protectionist actions from the United States, where President Donald Trump has implemented multiple tariff measures since returning to office one year ago. These actions, aimed at addressing trade imbalances and promoting domestic reindustrialization, represent a broader pattern of countries increasingly prioritizing national interests over multilateral cooperation.

Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the critical need for WTO reform, particularly regarding its decision-making processes. The organization currently operates on a consensus basis among its 166 member states, a system she described as ineffective. “The way we make decisions — it’s not working,” she stated bluntly, calling for greater “nimbleness” in addressing contemporary trade challenges.

These issues will take center stage at the upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference in Cameroon (March 26-29), where institutional reform and the tension between national sovereignty and international trade rules will dominate discussions. The organization faces mounting pressure to adapt its governance structures as countries including India and the United States continue to block progress on various negotiations.

COPENHAGEN (AFP)—The Danish government issued a firm rebuttal on Thursday regarding U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of a negotiated ‘framework’ concerning Greenland, explicitly stating that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte possesses no authority to negotiate on Denmark’s behalf. This declaration came just one day after Trump announced he had abandoned earlier threats to forcibly acquire the autonomous Danish territory and instead reached a preliminary agreement following discussions with Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized the nation’s position in a televised statement, clarifying, ‘The position of Denmark and that of Greenland are the same, and no negotiations were held yesterday with NATO about our sovereignty.’ She reiterated that sovereignty is non-negotiable, asserting that only the governments of Denmark and Greenland itself are empowered to make decisions concerning their territory.

While details of the discussed arrangement remain undisclosed, a source familiar with the Trump-Rutte dialogue revealed that the United States and Denmark are set to renegotiate a longstanding 1951 defense pact pertaining to Greenland. The same source confirmed that the highly sensitive topic of placing U.S. military bases on the island under American sovereignty was not part of the discussions.

Echoing the Prime Minister’s sentiments, Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen took to social media to affirm that Rutte ‘cannot negotiate an agreement on behalf of Denmark or Greenland.’ Despite this, Poulsen acknowledged Rutte’s ‘loyal work to maintain unity within NATO’ and described it as ‘very positive’ that the alliance is seeking to enhance Arctic security measures. He concluded with a definitive national stance: ‘We have a clear red line. We will not cede sovereignty over parts of the kingdom.’

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s catastrophic impact on Jamaica, Janice McIntosh has launched her campaign for re-election to the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council’s southern United States representative position. The Category 5 storm’s devastation has underscored the critical need for organized diaspora engagement, according to McIntosh, who is among six candidates vying to lead the 13-state bloc.

The Florida-based candidate emphasized that her central mission involves fortifying connections between southern U.S. Jamaicans and decision-makers in their homeland. “The diaspora represents one of Jamaica’s most significant untapped resources,” McIntosh stated in an interview with Observer Online. “My objective centers on creating structured channels for communication, coordination, and collaboration to ensure diaspora voices, skills, and resources contribute meaningfully to Jamaica’s sustainable development.”

McIntosh brings substantial credentials to her candidacy, having resided in South Florida since 2009 while serving eleven years as Jamaica National Bank’s chief representative officer—a role that required consistent liaison with Jamaican institutions. Her extensive community work in Lauderhill, which hosts South Florida’s largest Jamaican population, further strengthens her qualifications.

The electoral process, administered by Jamaica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, will conduct online voting from January 28 through February 20. The southern region’s winner will succeed Peter Gracey, elected in 2023, and will join newly elected representatives from the U.S. northeast, west Midwest, and Canadian regions.

McIntosh characterizes her approach as “people-centered and highly engaged,” rejecting ceremonial representation in favor of active bridge-building and consistent follow-through with diaspora organizations, community leaders, and Jamaican citizens across demographic groups.

Venezuela’s National Assembly has initiated legislative proceedings to dismantle the state’s monopoly on its oil industry, marking a dramatic reversal from two decades of socialist energy policy. The proposed legislation would permit privately-owned companies registered in Venezuela to conduct independent oil exploration and extraction operations without mandatory partnerships with state-owned PDVSA.

This transformative shift follows the January 3rd ouster of socialist leader Nicolás Maduro, whose government maintained rigid state control over the country’s vast petroleum resources. The legislation is being advanced under the leadership of acting president Delcy Rodríguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president but has rapidly moved to normalize relations with the United States.

In a significant demonstration of warming diplomatic ties, the United States has appointed Laura F. Dogu, a seasoned diplomat with experience as ambassador to Nicaragua and Honduras, as charge d’affaires to Venezuela. This appointment signals the potential restoration of full diplomatic relations, which were severed following Maduro’s disputed 2019 reelection.

The Rodríguez administration has already taken concrete economic measures, injecting $300 million from a U.S.-brokered oil sale to stabilize the collapsing bolivar currency. While this initial intervention temporarily strengthened the national currency, economists emphasize that sustained economic recovery will require substantial foreign investment and continuous dollar inflows.

Concurrently, the new government has begun addressing human rights concerns by releasing dozens of political prisoners, including the son-in-law of opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, who was serving a 30-year sentence on terrorism charges. These actions appear designed to garner domestic support and international legitimacy following years of economic collapse and political repression under Maduro.

The geopolitical implications extend beyond Venezuela, with the Trump administration leveraging the situation to increase pressure on Cuba by threatening to cut off the island nation’s access to subsidized Venezuelan oil that has sustained its economy for years.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a significant move toward police modernization and accountability, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has pledged complete governmental funding for body-worn cameras across all necessary units of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). The announcement was delivered during his keynote address at the passing-out ceremony for batches 161 and 167 at the National Police College of Jamaica in Twickenham Park, St. Catherine.

Prime Minister Holness confirmed that approximately 1,000 cameras have already been secured, with additional units currently in the procurement pipeline. He unequivocally stated, “The Government will supply the necessary budget to ensure that all formations that require the use of body-worn cameras are so equipped.” This initiative is a cornerstone of the administration’s strategy to foster transparent policing and establish a reliable process for data capture during police operations.

Emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the government’s investment, Holness highlighted that advancements in technology are being pursued alongside rigorous training and administrative overhauls. “We are investing heavily in technology to make sure that we have a 21st-century policing force,” he asserted. While acknowledging the JCF’s proactive efforts in seeking the best technological platforms, the Prime Minister also noted that the force must navigate standard public procurement regulations.

Alongside the technological pledge, Holness issued a direct charge to the 287 new constables graduating that day, demanding they treat every citizen with utmost dignity and respect for their rights, regardless of socioeconomic status. This call for reform aligns with mounting pressure from human rights advocacy groups, including Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), which has been vocally demanding the implementation of body cameras amid a troubling rise in fatal shootings by security forces.