DUBAI (AME Info) -- In a ceremony held Wednesday, the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) and the Natural Environment and Biodiversity Division (NEB) part of Iran's Department of Environment signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

This agreement will allow both countries to cooperate in the protection of the Hubara bustard populations as well as cooperate to protect marine turtles.

Attending the signing of the agreement was Al Bowardi, secretary general of Abu Dhabi Executive Council and managing director of EAD as well as Rostam Najafi, deputy head of Iran's NEB department.

The two parties have agreed to cooperate in conducting comparative studies on each country's environmental regulations, legislation, scientific data collection and guidelines for conservation and environmental protection based on relevant international conventions including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) and Ramsar Convention.

They will also be exchanging information on issues that are important regionally such as illegal trade of wildlife, especially hubara and birds of prey. The parties will also be cooperating to prosecute smugglers of protected birds and to hand over endangered species to the country of origin. Collaboration will also be made in the area of environmental education and awareness. The two countries will be building the capacity of their nationals by cooperating through technical training.

This is the second agreement EAD has signed with an Iranian organization. The first agreement was in the year 2004 where an MOU was signed with the Iranian Fisheries Research Organization (IFRO) to cooperate particularly in the areas of aquaculture and shared and straddling stocks.

The two parties have been pooling their resources and determining mechanisms for exchange of expertise and coordination on fish ageing, studies on harmful algal blooms and marine biodiversity. More about Iran's Natural Environment and Biodiversity Division:

• It plans and adopts the measures necessary to preserve Iran's natural diversity.

• It carries out research within Iran's ecosystems and species.

• It consists of the following sections: Museum of Natural History, Wildlife and Aquatic Life, Habitats and Protected Areas and Marine Environment.