The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has recently entered into a mutual agreement with its French counterpart, the Investigation and Analyses Bureau for Civil Aviation Security (BEA), on cooperation relating to aircraft accident and incident investigation. Saif Al Suwaidi, director general of GCAA, and Jean-Paul Troadec, director, BEA signed the agreement, which is aimed at exchange of information, improving technical knowledge and skills and cooperation during an investigation. This will expand the scope of work of both parties and provide opportunities to share lessons from accidents and incidents, a statement from GCAA pointed out. A similar memorandum of understand was signed in March 2011 with the Canadian Transport Safety Board (TSB), as a first in many agreements intended to be drafted between the GCAA and well reputable international investigation authorities leading to a more advanced, communicative and responsive safety environment through partnership and alliances with national and international stakeholders. As per the agreement, both parties agreed to cooperate in providing investigation support, expertise and facilities, conducting training courses for investigators and exchanging information on investigation and operational experiences.  ( from The Gulf Today )