Presidency of the Spanish Congress of Deputies
Francina Armengol
President of the Congress of Deputies of Spain
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President of the Congress of Deputies of Spain
David Maria Sassoli 1956-2022
European Parliament President David Maria Sassoli passed away on 11 January 2022. In his capacity as EP President he was the President of the PA-UfM from June 2020 to 3 December 2021. Since 2014 he was the Vice President of the EP replacing the President for Neighbourhood Policy (EUROMED): in this role he attended PA-UFM meetings a number of times. The Secretariat of the Assembly bids an emotional farewell to President Sassoli.
“Euro-Mediterranean integration must be strengthened by placing the political dimension of the Mediterranean at the heart of our agendas.
The Mediterranean region faces many challenges. They include preventing regional conflicts, managing migration, taking the youth dimension into account, creating jobs, and cooperating in the field of education. In the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM) we need to confront these challenges with a spirit of practical cooperation.
The COVID Pandemic is showing the crucial need for cooperation between neighbouring countries. The PA-UfM will also focus on how to ensure, within the Mediterranean region, the maximum level of coordination in the recovery from the pandemic. We must guarantee a fair access and equitable distribution of vaccines for every country of the region. The EU, together with all the UfM partners, can play a key role.
The European Parliament presidency of the PA-UfM will focus its annual agenda on one of the most urgent priority topics: the fight against global warming in the region. Global warming is already having a serious impact on the countries bordering the Mediterranean and requires ambitious and credible decisions. The European Union aims for net-zero climate emissions by 2050. Our ambition is to share our experience and knowledge about common climate challenges affecting the region, and to support the development of specific projects and initiatives promoting climate-resilient development.”
David Maria SASSOLI
