Official establishment of the Peace Board in Washington / Vjosa Osmani will be present

2026-02-18 17:50:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Official establishment of the Peace Board in Washington / Vjosa Osmani will be

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani will participate on Thursday in the official ceremony of the establishment of the Peace Board - US President Donald Trump's initiative to end conflicts in the world.

Osman's participation was confirmed to Radio Free Europe by its media advisor, Bekim Kupina. President Trump himself announced through several posts on social networks that the ceremony will take place on February 19 at the Trump Institute of Peace in Washington.

"We will announce that member countries have pledged more than five billion dollars for reconstruction efforts and humanitarian assistance for Gaza, and are committed to committing thousands of troops to the International Stabilization Force to ensure security and peace for the people of Gaza," President Trump added, among other things.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Presidency quoted Osmani as saying that Kosovo remains committed to working closely with its main ally, the US, and with the Peace Board "to bring concrete results, to support peace and stability in conflict-affected regions, and to promote a future based on cooperation, security, and shared prosperity."

The Kosovo Presidency previously confirmed to Radio Free Europe that the state has not been asked to pay $1 billion.

The Peace Board was established on January 22 in Davos, Switzerland, in the presence of President Trump. Kosovo was represented by President Osmani. The Peace Board has 27 members. The United Nations Security Council has authorized this body to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire in Gaza and to engage in aspects of governance and reconstruction.

The establishment of the Board is foreseen in Trump's 20-point peace plan for Gaza. This plan was accepted by Israel and Hamas - a terrorist organization declared by the United States and other powers, in October 2025, to end two years of fighting.

The importance of Kosovo's participation in the Peace Board

Professor of peace and conflict studies at the University of Dublin in Ireland, Gëzim Visoka, told Radio Free Europe a few days ago that Kosovo's participation in this board could bring the country significant foreign policy benefits, despite the potential costs.

According to him, as long as Kosovo remains outside major international organizations such as NATO, the European Union and the United Nations, such initiatives can serve to strengthen its diplomatic position.

"This platform can offer Kosovo a space for lobbying and seeking new recognition from states like Morocco or other countries that have not yet recognized Kosovo... So far, the UN system has not offered Kosovo equality, proper access, has not been in the service of Kosovo's right to self-determination, to membership in the international system and to international recognition. In a way, this is also a protest against the UN order, which has ended up becoming a tool of the great powers ," he said, among other things.

What is known about participation in the International Stabilization Force?

In addition to the Board, authorities in Kosovo have confirmed that they are in the process of reviewing the form and capacity in which members of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) could contribute to the International Stabilization Force for Gaza.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced earlier this year that the KSF's participation in this force comes after participating in a conference in Doha, Qatar, in December of the previous year, organized by the United States Central Command.

Defense Minister Ejup Maqedonci told Radio Free Europe that the conference in Qatar was informative regarding the International Stabilization Force and that Kosovo was invited to participate by the US military.

Details about the International Stabilization Force, which has a United Nations mandate, have not been made public, but it is believed to be tasked with providing security and overseeing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The White House said that Army Major General Jasper Jeffer, the US commander of special operations, has been appointed to command the International Stabilization Force.

The war between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023, after Hamas killed over 1,200 people in Israel and took hundreds of hostages. Israeli retaliatory attacks on Gaza have killed over 60,000 people, caused a famine and caused extensive damage to infrastructure. /REL