Carney to join U.S. Board of Peace to help oversee Gaza recovery
Prime Minister Mark Carney has accepted an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join the Board of Peace, the executive group charged with Gaza’s reconstruction and economic recovery.
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By Torontoer Staff
Prime Minister Mark Carney has accepted an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join the Board of Peace, the executive group charged with supporting Gaza’s reconstruction, governance and economic recovery. The invitation arrived while Carney was in Beijing meeting Chinese leaders, and the White House said additional board members will be announced in the coming weeks.
Carney’s name did not appear on the initial list of executive board members the White House released, which included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former U.K. prime minister Tony Blair and U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. The White House has said that each board member will oversee a specific portfolio, such as governance capacity, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding and capital mobilisation.
What the Board of Peace will do
The Board of Peace is part of the broader U.S.-brokered plan that helped secure the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that took effect in October 2025. Under the plan, a Palestinian technocratic committee will run day-to-day affairs in Gaza under U.S. oversight, while the Board of Peace acts as an executive steering group to coordinate international support, financing and reconstruction efforts.
The Palestinian people were looking forward to this committee, its establishment and its work to rescue them.
Ali Shaath, leader of the Palestinian committee
Ali Shaath, who leads the Palestinian committee and met in Cairo with international representatives, said reconstruction could take about three years. He said the committee will focus first on immediate needs, including shelter, with longer-term goals that include rebuilding infrastructure and restoring governance capacity.
Why Carney was tapped
The White House has positioned the board as a mix of political figures, financiers and policy specialists. Carney’s financial experience and international network were cited by officials travelling with him as reasons for the invitation. When the Trump plan was first made public in September, Carney described it as "historic" and urged all parties to make it work.
It is not yet clear which portfolio Carney will oversee. White House materials say board members will be assigned to specific issue areas, but they have not linked names with roles. Observers expect assignments to reflect members’ professional backgrounds and donor relationships, with priorities ranging from immediate humanitarian needs to longer-term investment mobilisation.
On-the-ground challenges in Gaza
Despite the ceasefire and partial Israeli withdrawals that began in October, Gaza faces extensive damage to housing, infrastructure and public services. Thousands of displaced residents have returned to badly damaged neighbourhoods. The international effort faces immediate logistical hurdles, including ensuring access for aid agencies, restoring basic utilities and coordinating a large-scale reconstruction programme.
Longer-term political and security issues are equally significant. The plan calls for an international security force to supervise the ceasefire and for a difficult process of disarming Hamas. Those steps will affect the timeline for reconstruction and for returning fuller administrative control to local authorities.
What to watch next
- Formal announcement of Carney’s specific portfolio on the Board of Peace.
- Details on funding commitments and mechanisms for large-scale capital mobilisation.
- Progress from the Palestinian technocratic committee on immediate shelter and services.
- Arrangements for an international security force to monitor the ceasefire.
- Coordination between the Board of Peace, regional governments and major donors.
The White House said additional board members will be named in the coming weeks, and that the executive board will work to carry out the Board of Peace’s vision. For Canada, Carney’s appointment places a senior national figure at the centre of international reconstruction planning, while leaving open questions about how funding, governance and security arrangements will be sequenced and enforced.
Carney accepted the invitation as he travelled through Beijing, signalling Ottawa will have a direct voice in the international effort to rebuild Gaza. Observers will be watching how quickly the board clarifies roles, mobilises resources and coordinates with Palestinian and regional authorities, and how those efforts translate into on-the-ground reconstruction and services.
Mark CarneyGazaBoard of PeaceDonald Trumpinternational aid
