US President Donald Trump on Thursday said the United States will work to strengthen the United Nations, asserting that the global body needs financial support and that the “Board of Peace is going to look” over it to ensure it runs properly.Speaking at the inaugural meeting of his newly formed Board of Peace, Trump said the US would ensure the UN becomes stronger and more viable.“Someday, I won’t be here. The United Nations will be… is going to be much stronger. The Board of Peace is going to almost be looking over the United Nations and making sure it runs properly,” Trump said.“But we’re going to strengthen up the United Nations. We’re going to make sure its facilities are good. They need help, and they need help money-wise. We’re going to help them money wise, and we’re going to make sure the United Nations is viable,” he added.Trump also said Washington is closely coordinating with the world body. “And we are very closely working with the United Nations. In fact, I’m going to speak to the Secretary General in a little while. He’s a good man, and I’ve had a good relationship,” he said.The Board of Peace was initiated as part of Trump’s 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza. The initiative is widely seen as a parallel platform to the UN, and Trump has previously suggested it “might” replace the global organisation, saying the UN has never lived up to its potential.At the meeting, attended by leaders of nations that have joined the Board of Peace, Trump said the US would continue to work with the UN. “We’re going to bring them back. I think the United Nations has great potential, really great potential. It has not lived up to potential,” he said.He also noted that during his second term he had “settled” eight wars without consulting the UN. “I never spoke to the UN about even one of them when in fact I should have spoken about all of them with the global body,” he said.The United States remains the largest financial contributor to the United Nations, providing about 22 per cent of its regular budget and around 25 per cent of its peacekeeping budget. However, Washington reportedly owes approximately USD 4 billion in unpaid assessed contributions.Trump has previously been critical of the UN and withdrew the US from several UN agencies, including the World Health Organisation. Despite this, he said the organisation has potential and capable personnel.“I’ve said it for years, United Nations has tremendous potential,” Trump said, adding that although some people dismiss the UN, “No, it’s really very important, and I think it’s going to eventually live up to potential. That will be a big day.”Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said earlier that he was not aware of any UN presence at the Board of Peace meeting in Washington. However, he said the UN continues to work toward implementing relevant Security Council resolutions related to Gaza and remains engaged with stakeholders influencing the humanitarian situation on the ground.
