U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Politico he supports Donald Trump’s Board of Peace in financing and delivering basic Gaza reconstruction work and said the U.N. is cooperating with structures created by the board. He stressed the board should be limited to rebuilding Gaza and warned it is not the proper vehicle to address broader regional crises. Guterres also called for an end to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and suggested the U.N. could help protect the waterway and de-escalate attacks. He said he has not spoken with Trump since the war began but has been in contact with other U.S. officials.
Guterres Endorses Board of Peace’s Gaza Reconstruction Role, Warns It Can’t Solve Wider Regional Crises
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to the press on the day of a European Union leaders' summit in Brussels, Belgium March 19, 2026. REUTERS/Yves Herman
March 20 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he welcomes the stated goal of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace to fund and deliver core elements of a Gaza reconstruction plan, Politico reported on Saturday.
“There is an objective there that was defined, approved by the Security Council, and we are cooperating actively with structures created by the Board of Peace,”Guterres told Politico in an interview.
While the U.N. will cooperate on reconstruction efforts, Guterres was clear that the board’s role should be narrowly focused. He warned that the Board of Peace is not the right mechanism to resolve the broader, highly complex crises facing the region.
“This is not the effective way to address the dramatic problems that we have now. We need to be clear about international law, to be clear about the values of the Charter of the United Nations. That is essential in any peace initiative,”he said.
Guterres also urged an end to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting the U.N. could play a role in protecting the vital waterway and in broader efforts to de-escalate attacks that threaten regional stability.
On personal contacts, the secretary-general said he has not spoken with Donald Trump since the outbreak of the war, though he has maintained discussions with other members of the U.S. administration.
Context
The remarks underscore a cautious U.N. approach: support for concrete reconstruction activities approved by the Security Council, coupled with insistence that any lasting solution must respect international law and the principles of the U.N. Charter.
Reporting by Preetika Parashuraman in Bengaluru; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and William Mallard. Sourced from Politico and Reuters.
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