Indonesia won’t pay $1B to join Trump’s “Board of Peace,” pledges troops only
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Indonesia pledges troops, not $1 billion, for Trump-led “Board of Peace” amid domestic criticism.
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has insisted that the country will not pay the $1 billion joining fee for permanent membership of the so-called “Board of Peace,” a U.S.-led initiative aimed at maintaining peace in Gaza.
The statement comes as Prabowo faces criticism at home for committing troops to the effort.
In a statement broadcast on the presidential YouTube channel Sunday, Prabowo, a former general, clarified that Indonesia had only pledged peacekeeping troops, not financial contributions. “We never said that we wanted to contribute $1 billion,” he said. “We did not make any financial commitments at all.”
The Board of Peace was launched after the Trump administration, together with Qatar and Egypt, negotiated a ceasefire in October to end two years of conflict in Gaza. Countries seeking permanent membership must pay $1 billion, a requirement that has drawn criticism for potentially turning the initiative into a “pay-to-play” version of the U.N. Security Council.
Prabowo attended the board’s inaugural meeting in Washington last month, where he pledged to send 8,000 peacekeeping troops to Gaza. The move sparked backlash from Indonesian Muslim groups, who questioned the decision. Prabowo added that Indonesia would withdraw from the board if it failed to benefit Palestinians or did not align with national interests.
The president also emphasized that Indonesia could pull out of any international agreements if their execution threatens the country’s interests. Talks with Washington regarding a peacekeeping mission to Gaza have been put “on hold,” according to the state news agency Antara, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Vahd Nabyl Achmad Mulachela.
Last month, Prabowo signed a tariff deal with the United States, but reiterated Sunday that Jakarta would prioritize national interest in all international commitments.
This development highlights Indonesia’s cautious approach to global peacekeeping efforts while balancing domestic opinion and national priorities.
