A Delegation of the European Parliament (EP) undertook a mission to Cairo on 30-31 October on the occasion of the 12th inter-parliamentary meeting between the EP and the Egyptian Parliament. Led by Marisa Matias, Chair of the EP Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries, the Delegation, which was also received by the Grand Iman of Al Azhar and the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church, met with Kareem Darwish, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, along with other Egyptian Parliamentarians and representatives from civil society organisations. During the meetings, the EP Delegation expressed the need for the Egyptian authorities to deepen the implementation of the social and economic reforms within a democratic framework and called for an enhancement of the partnership between the EU and Egypt to overcome common challenges. It also raised several individual cases of citizens whose rights were infringed and recalled that, both in the EU and in Egypt, sustainable development and security could only be achieved when human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and the right to peaceful dissent, were fully respected.