(Brussels) The plenary session of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EUROMED) ended in Cairo yesterday. European Parliament Vice President David Sassoli delivered the closing remarks, pointing to immigration and development as “the top priorities in the year of the Assembly’s European presidency”. “We can address epochal challenges – Mr Sassoli said in his address to the Egyptian Parliament – by bridging the distance between Europe and the southern shore” of the Mediterranean, by “promoting integration policies, and by investing in cultural and interreligious dialogue, as we defend human rights together”. The Mediterranean “has still much to say in a global world without rules, but the value of freedom must not be violated”. Mr Sassoli, Vice President of the European Parliament for Neighbourhood Policy (South/EUROMED/Middle East), announced that a delegation will soon be travelling to Israel and Palestine: “Parliamentary diplomacy can succeed where governments find it difficult to dialogue, and the role of parliaments is to build bridges leading to policies of solidarity and cooperation”. During the EUROMED meeting in Egypt last weekend, Mr Sassoli also stated: “countering terrorism while ensuring respect for the rule of law and fundamental values remains a priority on the agenda of the Mediterranean countries”. And he went on to say: “The economy in the Mediterranean region must focus on enhancing tourism, agriculture and infrastructure, which are key sectors for attracting investment and resources”.