Trump vows to fund UN, says 'Board of Peace' to keep watch

President Trump pledges to strengthen the United Nations, offering financial support and oversight through his Board of Peace, despite past criticisms and withdrawals from UN agencies

The US will strengthen the United Nations, make it viable and help it "money-wise", President Donald Trump said Thursday, as he asserted that his Board of Peace will be "looking over" the global organisation, making sure it runs properly.

Trump made the remarks in his address to the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, which was initiated as part of the US President's 20-point peace plan to end the conflict in Gaza.

"And we are very closely working with the United Nations. In fact, I'm going to speak to the Secretary General in a little while. He's a good man, and I've had a good relationship," Trump said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is currently in India for the India AI Impact Summit.

Trump's 'Board of Peace' on Gaza is perceived as a rival to the UN. The US leader has previously said that the Board of Peace "might" replace the UN, which he said has never lived up to its potential.

Addressing the event, which was attended by leaders of the nations that have joined the organisation, Trump said Washington will be working with the United Nations very closely.

"We're going to bring them back. I think the United Nations has great potential, really great potential. It has not lived up to potential," Trump said, adding that for the eight wars he "settled" in the first year of his second term, he "never" spoke to the UN about even one of them when in fact he should have spoken about all of them with the global body.

"Someday, I won't be here. The United Nations will be, is going to be much stronger. The Board of Peace is going to almost be looking over the United Nations and making sure it runs properly.

"But we're going to strengthen up the United Nations. We're going to make sure its facilities are good. They need help, and they need help money-wise. We're going to help them money wise, and we're going to make sure the United Nations is viable," Trump said.

The US is the largest financial contributor to the United Nations, responsible for about 22 percent of the world body's regular budget and about 25 per cent of the peacekeeping budget.

But the US also owes about $4 billion to the world organisation and has not yet paid its assessed dues.

Trump has been critical of the UN and has pulled Washington from several UN agencies, including the World Health Organisation.

The US President said that there are some very good people at the UN, and the world body can do a good job.

"I've said it for years, United Nations has tremendous potential," he said, adding that while many people have said they don't care about the UN, "...No, it's really very important, and I think it's going to eventually live up to potential. That will be a big day."

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, previously said that while he is not aware of any UN presence at the Board of Peace meeting in Washington, "We are working for the full implementation of the relevant Security Council resolution, which mentions the Board of Peace in relation to Gaza, and we continue to engage with the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and all those with potential influence on the humanitarian situation on the ground."