(Yicai) Oct. 2 -- Egyptian and Chinese research centers have signed a cooperation protocol to promote scientific research, academic collaboration, and expertise exchange, the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation announced in a statement on Wednesday.

Egypt's Desert Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Sino-Africa Joint Research Center affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences signed the agreement on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the agreement aims to deepen the strategic partnership between Egypt and China, support applied scientific research, and advance sustainable development through the exchange of expertise in sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation.

The deal also seeks to benefit from funding available under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative to support joint research projects.

Cooperation will cover areas such as natural resource sustainability, remote sensing applications to optimize agricultural development in fragile ecosystems amid climate change.

As part of the agreement, a regional office of the China-Africa Research Center will be established at the Desert Research Center in Cairo to enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Chinese, Egyptian, and North African research institutions. The office will also oversee joint training programs to build the capacities of African professionals.

During the signing ceremony, Alaa Farouk, Egypt's Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, highlighted the strategic significance of the protocol, describing it as a pivotal step to advance research, address environmental challenges, and support sustainable development plans.

He added that the cooperation would also serve as a bridge to localize advanced Chinese agricultural technologies in tackling climate change and managing scarce natural resources.