Syria secures $50m World Bank funding to upgrade transport infrastructure
Syria has secured a $50 million financing package on Sunday from the World Bank to support transport infrastructure projects as the country advances i...
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to announce the creation of a Gaza “Board of Peace” next week as part of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza, according to reports.
The board will be chaired by President Trump and is set to include around 15 international leaders, U.S. officials told Axios.
Its mandate will be to supervise the establishment of a Palestinian technocratic government and oversee the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, according to officials familiar with the plan.
Invitations to prospective member countries are already being issued, and the board’s formation is a key element of advancing the ceasefire framework reached in late 2025. The international authority is expected to operate under a two‑year, renewable United Nations mandate.
Alongside the board, a committee of Palestinian technocrats will be established to manage day‑to‑day administration in Gaza once hostilities have ceased and reconstruction begins.
Reportedly, former UN envoy to the Middle East, Nikolay Mladenov, is set to serve as the board’s representative on the ground.
Preparations for the announcement follow diplomatic engagement between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who have signalled progress toward advancing to the next phase of the peace plan.
The timing and composition of the Board of Peace could still shift as negotiations continue with regional partners and with the Palestinian Authority.
The initiative has drawn scrutiny from some Arab leaders who emphasise the importance of clear peacekeeping mandates and robust humanitarian support.
The initiative forms part of a broader U.S.‑brokered ceasefire that has already led to significant reductions in violence and moves toward post‑war governance and reconstruction arrangements in Gaza.
Since the ceasefire took effect on 10 October 2025, months of intense hostilities were paused which made way for phased hostage and prisoner exchanges, as well as limited Israeli troop withdrawals from parts of the Strip.
While the process reduced immediate tensions, diplomats and analysts warn that the ceasefire remains fragile.
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