Kazakhstan became one of the first members of US President Donald Trump’s Peace Commission, which was announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who reportedly received an invitation to participate earlier this week, signed the charter on behalf of the country.
Ruslan Zherdivai, assistant presidential spokesperson, said Tokayev had agreed to join “this new association.”
“President Tokayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s determination to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East, strengthen trust between states and make a meaningful contribution to world stability,” Zherdibay said in a press statement.
Approved by the UN Security Council late last year, it was originally conceived as a mechanism to bring stability to post-war Gaza, but has since morphed into a broader conflict resolution platform.
Board membership is determined solely by Chairman Donald Trump, who will remain in that position after his retirement. Until then, he will have two votes on the panel, one as chair and one as president.
One of the membership requirements is for countries wishing to become permanent members to pay an admission fee of $1 billion, otherwise they will only serve on the board for three years.
It is unclear at this stage whether Kazakhstan intends to pay a higher price, but it is almost certain to raise questions among its citizens, who have recently seen tax hikes under a new tax law that authorities say is necessary to clamp down on a growing budget deficit.
Signing ceremony
Video footage from the signing ceremony showed Trump and Tokayev talking and laughing with the Kazakh president’s press, with Tokayev explaining that he had drawn Trump’s attention to the “365 Wins in 365 Days” document distributed during Davos.
The document describes the 177th victory as Kazakhstan’s participation in the Abraham Accords, which took place during the C5+1 meeting of Central Asian countries and the United States in Washington in November.
The Abraham Accords are a series of U.S.-brokered agreements that aim to normalize relations between countries and Israel.
“Furthermore, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev wished the U.S. leadership success in pursuing common sense domestic policies,” Zherdivai added.
Mr. Tokayev frequently references Mr. Trump in public comments and has praised Mr. Trump’s policies in speeches, including at a recent national convention that focused on domestic issues.
“President Tokayev and President Trump have a very close relationship and speak frequently,” U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan Julie M. Staft said during the presentation of credentials in Astana on January 9.