DUBAI, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Civil aviation authorities of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and France have signed a bilateral technical cooperation agreement, UAE state news agency WAM reported Thursday.

The agreement between the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the French Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) covers all topics related to the development of civil aviation, in particular safety and cyber-security, said the report by WAM.

The signing took place Wednesday with the presence of the French Ambassador to the UAE, Ludovic Pouille.

The cooperation "will include exchanging experts, holding joint seminars, organizing on-the-job training sessions and academic courses," the report said.

In 2017, a UAE delegation visited DGAC for discussions on the organization of safety oversight.

Since then, both aviation authorities regularly exchange technical information and practices for the benefit of enhancing safety.

"This cooperation is a new achievement for the UAE, France and the whole international civil aviation system," said the Director-General of GCAA, Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, highlighting the importance of ensuring a safe, secure and sustainable civil aviation system that will benefit citizens from all the over the world.

Bertrand de Lacombe, DGAC's Director of International Cooperation, said the GCAA has become a key player in air transport regulation.

"It will enable us to benefit from our experiences, as we face common challenges, such as safety oversight, airport management, security and emergence of UAVs," he added.

Earlier in February this year, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe visited the UAE and agreed with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed to strengthen bilateral ties in the fields of trade, technology and culture.