Under this MoU, signed in Riyadh, both parties will collaborate on marine biodiversity projects aimed at sustaining marine habitats. The cooperation includes monitoring the health and populations of sharks, whales, dolphins, turtles, dugongs, mangroves, seagrasses, and associated species. The scope of the agreement further extends to assessing the health of benthic organisms (which live on the ocean floor), evaluating the impact of human activities on marine habitats, and the effective deployment of advanced technologies to monitor activities potentially harmful to marine and coastal wildlife. A key aspect of this collaboration is the implementation of optimal management practices for marine protected areas and their habitats, which will be achieved through a series of training workshops centered on the protection and conservation of marine and coastal wildlife and their habitats.
Dr. Mohammed Qurban, CEO of NCW, commented on the MoU: “This memorandum lays the foundation for impactful collaboration with the UK’s National Oceanography Centre on marine biodiversity projects and the management of protected areas. It will significantly aid us in achieving our goals of protecting wildlife, preserving habitats, and restoring environmental balance.”
Dr. Qurban added: “We recognize the importance of international cooperation and leveraging collective experience and best practices to enhance wildlife conservation. This agreement underscores the significance of exchanging expertise and collaborative knowledge-sharing to build an integrated approach at the national, regional, and international levels to achieve our strategic objectives. These objectives align with NCW’s vision of attaining ‘thriving and sustainable wildlife, biodiversity, and habitats,’ in harmony with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, the National Environment Strategy, and the Saudi Green Initiative, showcasing the Kingdom’s global leadership in environmental development.”
Professor Alex Rogers, Deputy Director of Strategic Science Programs and Partnerships, added: “Global collaboration is essential to achieve NOC’s vision of gaining a deeper knowledge of the ocean to help every living thing on our planet flourish. We welcome this initiation of an important collaboration with Saudi Arabia through the National Centre for Wildlife.”
“The seas around Saudi Arabia host a wealth of biodiversity, from rich tropical coral reefs and seagrass beds to deep-sea ecosystems that have barely been explored. The collaboration between NCW and NOC will generate critical data on the distribution of species and their ecosystem functioning, enabling the Government of Saudi Arabia to conserve critical biodiversity and sustainably grow the blue economy. It will also provide opportunities for early career scientists to train and become familiar with modern approaches to surveying and monitoring biodiversity. We look forward to developing new projects that build on and expand the expertise of both of our institutions in ocean science and effective management.”
Since its establishment in 2019, NCW has been dedicated to conserving wildlife and biodiversity. Its mandate includes protecting habitats, achieving environmental sustainability by enhancing environmental balance and promoting sustainable management practices. NCW seeks to achieve this through a series of coordinated programs, as well as by leveraging national and international expertise to promote research and innovation in wildlife conservation.
The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) is a leading marine science and technology institution based in the UK across four research sites: Southampton, Liverpool, and the Royal Research Ships James Cook and Discovery. It is the UK’s largest institution dedicated to sea-level science, coastal and deep ocean research, and technology development.
