Inside Geneva: "The Board of Peace, War and Impunity"

Podcast: Inside Geneva
Host: Imogen Foulkes (SWI swissinfo.ch)
Guests: Richard Gowen (International Crisis Group), Stuart Casey Maslin (Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights)
Date: February 3, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Inside Geneva takes a critical look at the newly announced "Board of Peace," an initiative by President Trump launched at Davos. Host Imogen Foulkes and her guests dissect whether the Board is likely to rival, reinforce, or undermine the United Nations’ role in global peacebuilding and conflict resolution. The discussion expands to a larger context: the weakening of international law, the state of wars and humanitarian crises, and the alarming rise of impunity for war crimes, as outlined in the new "War Watch" report.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Purpose and Implications of the Board of Peace

• Introduction & Skepticism

  • The episode opens with pointed questions about the UN’s effectiveness amid ongoing wars and humanitarian crises. There is early skepticism about whether the US-led Board of Peace can deliver more than “a really strongly worded letter.”
    • “The President claimed to have ended seven wars...all they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter.” — Stuart Casey Maslin [00:22]
    • “This is leading to a real crisis of confidence around the organization.” — Richard Gowen [00:33]

• Origins & Details

  • Announced with great fanfare at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
  • The US invited approximately 60 countries to join, positioning the Board as a global conflict prevention body, not just for Gaza.
    • “It’s a global conflict prevention organisation, complete with a pre-baked charter that looks a bit like President Trump took the protocols for a golf club in New Jersey.” — Richard Gowen [02:35], [04:38], [05:50]
  • Membership appears transactional: countries can pay $1 billion for a permanent seat—a move that worries many observers about transparency and legitimacy.
    • “There’s certainly no suggestion that you have to live up to any criteria as a member of the international community.” — Richard Gowen [11:47]

• Threat to the UN?

  • The Board lacks the legal authority and the global consensus of the UN Security Council.
  • However, its existence is seen as a warning sign—evidence of the US distancing from multilateralism and the principles of the UN.
    • “I do think that it is a very worrying signal for the UN...There’s very little detail about what the board will do outside of the specific case of Gaza.” — Richard Gowen [06:07]
  • Critics see it more as political theater with limited substance, yet with damaging symbolic effects.
    • “A sort of country club where every year Viktor Orban and other friends of the President get together for a big chat about the state of the world.” — Richard Gowen [12:32]

• Concerns about Human Rights and International Law

  • The Board of Peace’s charter notably omits references to human rights and non-aggression—key UN tenets.
  • A significant proportion of participating countries have questionable human rights records.

2. US Attitude Toward Multilateral Institutions

• US Withdrawal and Boycotts

  • The Trump administration has withdrawn from the World Health Organization and boycotted several UN agencies, including those related to gender and environmental issues.
  • Nonetheless, pragmatism prevails in specific arenas:
    • US funding of $2 billion for UN humanitarian work, e.g. in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo, points to the enduring relevance of UN logistics and delivery.

• Transactional Diplomacy vs. Global Governance

  • Critics depict the Board as Trump’s attempt at a “shiny organization...of which he is the chairman for life”—a personal power project rather than a genuine global governance enhancement.
    • “Trump has a pretty much total veto on every single decision...And he’s chairman for life.” — Imogen Foulkes & Richard Gowen [15:17]

3. International Law Under Siege: The War Watch Report

• Summary of Findings

  • The report surveys 23 conflicts (mid-2024 to end-2025), warning of a collapse in respect for international humanitarian law (IHL):
    • “There has never been a golden age...but what I think we’ve seen over the last couple of years is there has been a degeneration in that level of respect.” — Stuart Casey Maslin [24:09]

• Examples of Rule-breaking and Impunity

  • Breakdowns most visible in wars in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and through the erosion of accountability mechanisms.
  • Political leaders, notably the US president, dismiss “international niceties,” defending actions solely on personal and national grounds.
    • “The world’s superpower is actively working against [international humanitarian law].” — Imogen Foulkes [29:05]
    • “What I think is new is the extent to which [international law] is being flouted.” — Stuart Casey Maslin [27:16]

• Institutions and Enforcement

  • The International Criminal Court (ICC) faces undermining through sanctions, especially from the US, further eroding its ability to prosecute war crimes.
  • Universal jurisdiction cases are picking up in Europe, but on a global scale, accountability remains uneven.

• Haiti as a Case Study

  • Ongoing gang violence and absence of state governance in Haiti are highlighted; only strengthened institutions, not just military intervention, can provide solutions.

4. The State of the United Nations and Calls for Reform

• Crisis of Confidence & Need for Debate

  • UN’s crisis is intensified by both external (US government antipathy, funding cuts) and internal (Security Council paralysis on Ukraine, Gaza) factors.
  • Some UN member states are starting to avoid or explicitly reject the Board of Peace, signaling continued support for the UN.

• What’s Next for UN Leadership?

  • As Antonio Guterres nears the end of his mandate, attention turns to the next Secretary General—who will need to reconcile divergent interests and lead on genuine reform.
    • “We now need a really serious political debate about what this organization is for.” — Richard Gowen [16:13]
    • “If anyone has a good answer...maybe they should get the Nobel Prize. And then they can give their Nobel Prize to Trump, so he has two.” — Richard Gowen [21:00]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Board of Peace’s Nature

  • “It looks a bit like President Trump took the protocols for a golf club in New Jersey and converted them into a charter for an international organisation.” — Richard Gowen [05:50]
  • “This does look a bit like an effort to make him world emperor.” — Richard Gowen [15:20]

• On the US attitude toward the UN

  • “Trump has a pretty much total veto on every single decision this body will make. And he's chairman for life.” — Imogen Foulkes & Richard Gowen [15:17]

• On the Weakening of International Humanitarian Law

  • “International law, it’s sort of a flexible moral code, isn’t it?” — Deputy legal advisor to the CIA (as recounted by Stuart Casey Maslin) [27:16]
  • “What we should not be doing is providing weapons to those who demonstrably violate international humanitarian law.” — Stuart Casey Maslin [36:40]

• On the Enduring Value—and Limits—of International Law

  • “If you look at Ukraine...you do not have systematic violations by Ukraine. Why not? ... they are being held to account by their allies.” — Stuart Casey Maslin [27:16]
  • “We can make progress even in this difficult geopolitical climate, if we have the determination to do so.” — Stuart Casey Maslin [36:23]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening and Context: UN, War, and Board of Peace: [00:22–01:55]
• Unveiling of the Board of Peace, initial reactions: [02:16–04:49]
• Concerns and comparisons with the UN: [05:50–10:30]
• Board of Peace's lack of human rights & legal foundation: [11:06–12:59]
• Discussion on US–UN relations and transactional diplomacy: [13:33–16:13]
• The need for UN reform and new Secretary General debate: [16:13–21:35]
• Introduction of War Watch report and interview with Stuart Casey Maslin: [23:32–24:09]
• International humanitarian law under threat: [24:09–26:29]
• The effectiveness of accountability mechanisms (ICC, universal jurisdiction, etc.): [29:05–31:46]
• Case study: Haiti and the limits of military solutions: [32:22–33:00]
• Dehumanising language and shifts in human rights discourse: [33:00–34:36]
• Making progress through alliances of like-minded states: [35:23–36:23]
• Individual action and the arms trade: [36:23–37:50]

Conclusion & Call to Action

Both experts and the host stress the ongoing need for robust multilateral institutions, meaningful reform, and individual civic engagement to safeguard international humanitarian law and accountability.

• “Everybody can do something. There is no one on this planet that cannot have a voice, whether it’s their own or through their elected representative...Write to them, tell them that you want to see action.” — Stuart Casey Maslin [36:40]

This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in the future of global governance, the fragility of international law, and what is at stake as major powers compete to reshape international order in their own image.