Pope Francis, the 86-year-old head of the Catholic Church, has regrettably canceled his planned trip to Dubai for the COP28 environmental summit due to health concerns, as announced by the Vatican on Tuesday. Initially expected to attend the summit for three days as part of the Faith Pavilion, the Pope’s doctors have advised against the visit, citing improved but lingering effects of the flu and respiratory tract inflammation.
The decision to cancel the trip was conveyed through a statement on behalf of Pope Francis, acknowledging the improvement in his general health but emphasizing the doctors’ recommendation against undertaking the journey to Dubai for the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Matteo Bruni, the Vatican spokesman, shared that the Pope, with a sense of regret, had accepted the medical advice and opted to cancel the visit to Dubai. The scheduled trip, initially set from December 1 to December 3, included a plan for Pope Francis to address the COP28 Assembly on Saturday and participate in the inauguration of the COP’s Faith Pavilion on Sunday.
The cancellation underscores the Pope’s commitment to prioritizing his health and follows a trend of cautious decisions made by the Vatican regarding the Pope’s travel plans. The missed opportunity for the Pope to contribute to the environmental discussions at COP28 highlights the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other health-related concerns faced by global leaders.
