The UAE’s Air Accident Investigation Sector of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has signed a ‘Joint Cooperation Agreement’ with the Saudi Arabia’s Aviation Investigation Bureau (AIB) during the Middle East and North Africa Society of Air Safety Investigators (MENASASI) ‘Fifth Annual Conference, organised by the AIB in Jeddah.

MENASASI aims to exchange expertise, information and training in the investigation of accidents and air events.

Khaled Walid Al-Risi, Director of Air Accident Investigation at GCAA, attended the conference and represented the UAE at the signing agreement ceremony. Also present at the ceremony was Abdul-Ella Al-Flamban, Director-General of the AIB in Saudi Arabia as well as the Acting President of MENASASI Middle East and North Africa, and Head of Aviation Accident Investigation at ICAO.

Saif Mohammed al Suwaidi, Director-General of the GCAA, said: "Our two countries are leading in the aviation sector in the region in terms of size and traffic so naturally we are keen to enhance aviation safety by working together, sharing information and learning from each other. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are distinguished members of the ICAO Aviation Accident Investigation Board, which meets annually to discuss issues relating to the development of new protocols, standard procedures internationally."