Biden will not attend the COP28 summit in Dubai
The U.S. president is focusing on domestic activities related to the upcoming presidential elections and the file of the war on the Gaza Strip to please pro-Israel lobbies
President Joe Biden will be among the prominent absentees at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) starting Thursday in Dubai, according to a U.S. official on Sunday. It is believed that Biden‘s focus on domestic issues is due to the approaching presidential elections and the Gaza war file.
A record participation is expected in the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which begins on Thursday and lasts until December 12, with 70,000 participants, according to the UAE presidency. Among them is Pope Francis. Observers believe that the absence of the U.S. president will not be in favor of U.S. policies, especially as international powers such as Russia and China seek strong participation in all conferences and meetings in the Gulf to enhance their influence.
The schedules of both Biden and his deputy Kamala Harris, issued by the White House, do not include any visit to Dubai during the current week. The U.S. president’s agenda includes a visit to Colorado to promote U.S. investments in wind energy, a meeting with the President of Angola, and the lighting of the national Christmas tree.
A U.S. official confirmed that the president does not intend to participate in COP28 this week or when negotiations are nearing completion. The same source, requesting anonymity, stated that Washington is considering the possibility of sending a high-ranking official to Dubai. Leading the negotiations from the U.S. side is the U.S. Special Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, who is a former Secretary of State and Senator.
The official did not clarify the underlying reason for Joe Biden‘s decision, which has been his focus since last month on the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The U.S. president also seeks to promote his domestic projects less than a year before the presidential elections.
On the other hand, it is believed that the COP28 conference will provide the U.S. president, if he attends, an opportunity to personally communicate with Arab leaders and other world leaders to discuss the war in Gaza after the cancellation of the summit that was supposed to be held last month in Jordan. The current administration is working to please pro-Israel lobbies to ensure victory in the upcoming presidential elections.
U.S. presidents did not participate in every Conference of the Parties (COP) organized by the United Nations before Biden came to power. The current president participated in COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, marking the return of the United States to climate change mitigation efforts after his predecessor Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement. He also attended COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh last year.
