The governments of Panama and Cuba signed Friday an environmental cooperation agreement designed to promote sustainable use of natural resources and conservation of biodiversity, the Panamanian Environment Ministry said.

The accord was signed by Environment Minister Emilio Sempris and Cuba's minister of science, technology and environment, Elba Rosa Perez Montoya

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Under the pact, specialists from each country will visit the other to promote the identification and implementation of new technologies in the environmental field.

Sempris said that Cuba and Panama have established a solid institutional structure for scientific, technical and academic collaboration in environmental matters.

The agreement will foster a continual updating of information, Perez said.