PM Shehbaz Sharif to attend inaugural Gaza Peace Board Summit in Washington

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to arrive in Washington, DC, on 18 February and will attend the first meeting of the Gaza Peace Board on 19 February.

According to diplomatic sources, Field Marshal General Asim Munir is also likely to visit Washington during the same period. The inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace will be hosted by US President Donald Trump on 19 February in Washington.

The summit will primarily focus on strengthening the ceasefire in Gaza and mobilising funding for the territory’s reconstruction. Deliberations will centre on sustaining the ceasefire and raising funds for rebuilding efforts in the war-affected region.

The meeting will be held at the US Institute of Peace, with participants including Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and Bahrain. Other participating countries include Türkiye, Hungary, Morocco, Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria, Argentina and Paraguay.

The Gaza Peace Board will also include representatives from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Permanent membership of the Peace Board requires a contribution of $1 billion. The proposal for the Board was presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos and was approved in January 2026.

US President Donald Trump is currently serving as chairman of the Peace Board.

Pakistan’s decision to formally join the meeting underscores its engagement in diplomatic efforts concerning regional and international peace initiatives.