Italy has received an invitation on Friday and will participate in the Board's first gathering in Washington on February 19 as an observer, not a member, Meloni was quoted by Il Giornale d'Italia newspaper as saying to Italian journalists on the sidelines of the second Italy-Africa Summit, taking place in Ethiopia's Addis Ababa.
Italy had not previously joined the Board of Peace due to conflicts with its constitution. Italian media noted the main hurdle: a constitutional clause permitting participation in global peace and security bodies only on equal-footing terms among states, while the Board of Peace elevates a dominant US role, breaching that principle.
In January, US President Donald Trump announced the formation of the Board of Peace and invited heads of about 50 states to join.