Carney to Play Role on US-Led ‘Board of Peace’ in Gaza

Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks at an event in Ottawa on Aug. 7, 2025. The Canadian Press/Spencer Colby

Prime Minister Mark Carney will take on a role on the new “Board of Peace” for Gaza formed by U.S. President Donald Trump, which will oversee the reconstruction, economic recovery, and administration of the region, according to a senior government official.

Trump announced his plans to create a “founding Executive Board” on Jan. 16. He himself will serve as the chairman of the board, which will also include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, billionaire and U.S. businessman Marc Rowan, president of the World Bank Group Ajay Banga, and U.S. national security adviser Robert Gabriel.

While Carney’s name was not on the list released by the White House, the prime minister is set to accept a role on the board, a senior government official told media travelling with Carney overseas. 

The official told reporters on that Carney received an invitation from Trump on Jan. 16 to join the board while the prime minister was in China.

The White House said more members would be added to the board in the coming weeks.

According to the U.S. announcement, the board will play an “essential role” in Trump’s 20-point peace plan, including providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability for Gaza.

One of those roles is to oversee the Palestinian technocratic committee, which is called the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and is led by former Palestinian Authority official Ali Abdel Hamid Sha'ath.

Gaza Peace Plan

Trump’s plan for peace between Gaza and Israel was released in Sept. 2025, and at that time, Carney called the plan “historic” and asked all parties to make it work.

Canada’s Liberal government officially recognized a Palestinian state that same month, on Sept. 21 of 2025, along with some other nations including the UK, Australia, and Portugal. The move has been criticized by the United States and Israel.

The White House said that each executive Board of Peace member would have a portfolio to oversee which was “critical” to the long-term success and stabilization of Gaza. The portfolios include governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilization.

Trump’s plan also includes an International Stabilization Force for security operations and demilitarization, as well as the “safe delivery of humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials.”

The White House also announced members of a Gaza Executive Board, which will support governance and services for the people of Gaza. Some members of the Board of Peace will serve on the Gaza Executive Board as well, including Wikoff, Kushner, Rowan, and Blair.

The announcement from the White House followed the first meeting of the Palestinian committee set to govern the territory under U.S. supervision.

The leader of the committee, Sha'ath, said they will work quickly to improve conditions, adding construction and recovery was expected to take about three years.

Under Trump’s peace plan, the committee will run day-to-day operations in Gaza under the oversight of the Board of Peace.

It is not known what role Carney will take on as part of the board.

Aldgra Fredly and The Canadian Press contributed to this article.