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Indonesia never pledged US$1 billion to Peace Board: Prabowo

Jakarta (ANTARA) – President Prabowo Subianto clarified that Indonesia has never pledged to contribute US$1 billion to the Board of Peace (BoP), an initiative associated with United States President Donald Trump.He made the remarks in an interview, according to a statement received in Jakarta on Sunday.The president said the BoP held its inaugural meeting of member countries in Washington on February 19, emphasizing that Indonesia was not among the countries that pledged financial contributions.“This is because I have never committed to funding in the first place,” Prabowo said.He underscored that despite not making a financial commitment, Indonesia remains committed to supporting the intergovernmental body, including by deploying peacekeeping troops to Gaza to help protect Palestinians.“We have stated our readiness to send peacekeeping personnel according to actual needs,” he said.The head of state added that the government has not ruled out the possibility of providing financial support for reconstruction and rehabilitation in Gaza through the BoP.“If the ceasefire succeeds and reconstruction begins, it is possible for Indonesia to contribute financially,” he said, suggesting that funds could be raised through the National Alms Agency (Baznas).Prabowo also highlighted Indonesia’s fiscal capacity, pointing to its role in building a hospital in Gaza and continuing to deliver humanitarian assistance.However, he reiterated that Indonesia has never made “any commitment at all” to provide funds in order to secure a seat on the BoP.A Bloomberg report published on January 18 said that, in a draft BoP Charter, Trump proposed that aspiring countries contribute at least US$1 billion to become permanent members of the board.The report added that countries that do not contribute financially can still join as members for a three-year term, with Trump retaining the authority to approve extensions as chair of the board.