Jusuf Kalla: Board of Peace Structure Does Not Reflect Genuine Peace Efforts
Former Vice President Jusuf Kalla has assessed that the structure of the Board of Peace (BoP) does not reflect genuine efforts to create peace. He highlighted the dominance of the United States within the institution, particularly given that the US President holds both the chairmanship position and veto rights in decision-making.
According to Kalla, since the inception of the BoP, he has viewed the forum as potentially beneficial if it could genuinely assist peace processes, particularly in Palestine. However, recent developments have raised doubts about the institution’s effectiveness.
“I said the BoP is fine, but only if it can secure or bring peace to Palestine. It was just signed, and America is already at war—how does that work? That way it has no benefit,” Kalla said when met in Jakarta, as reported on Thursday, 12 March 2026.
He stated that the BoP is said to coordinate with seven Islamic countries as members, including Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, Kalla assessed that the leadership structure grants substantial authority to the US President. “The structure itself does not reflect genuine peace efforts,” Kalla said.
He questioned how an institution with a peace mission can operate effectively if the country leading it is engaged in military action. For this reason, Kalla asked the public to observe the development of the BoP based on facts on the ground. “It was signed in Davos in February, and just one month later, Iran was attacked,” he said.
According to him, the veto right held by the institution’s chairman means that proposals from other countries potentially carry no weight if not approved by the US President. This situation, Kalla said, makes the BoP ultimately dependent on the decision of a single nation. “The BoP is Trump and Trump—why? Because he is the chairman and he has the veto right,” he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Indonesia has suspended discussions regarding the BoP following the escalation of conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel this month. The government has chosen to delay the agenda amid heightened tensions in the Middle East region.
The ministry said that the government’s current focus is to monitor developments in the conflict whilst ensuring the safety of Indonesian citizens in the region.