To transform into Federal Customs Week as of 2018

Dubai, UAE, 22nd January 2017:  2nd Dubai Customs Week kicked off today with a seminar at Dubai Customs main building entitled “Facilitation and Control in Customs Work”. The seminar was attended by His Excellency Commissioner Ali Al Kaabi, Head of the Federal Customs authority, Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs, Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah AlNuaimi, Chairman of Ajman Ports and Customs Department, Mohammad Juma Buossaiba, Director-General of the UAE Federal Customs Authority, Mohammed Khadem Al Hameli, Deputy Director General, Abu Dhabi Customs, Mohammed Al Mehrizi, Director General of RAK Customs, and  Rashid Mohammed Saif Hamad, Director General of Fujairah Customs. 

The seminar was concluded with a decision to make the customs day at its next session a federal day that covers all customs departments and centers in the UAE under the auspices of the Federal Customs Authority. The main event, as was agreed, is to take place in Ajman and to concur with the World Customs Day. 

At his welcoming note Al kaabi commended the feats achieved by customs administrations in the country. 

“We advance steadily in protecting society and sustaining growth. Customs administrations worldwide face many challenges these days which urges for more action and strategies to tackle these challenges”.

“We recognise and appreciate the technologies and innovations Dubai Customs offers in this field which puts it at the top of customs administrations worldwide. In the last 11 years, Dubai Customs came up with 18,000 innovations, and this means 5 innovations a day in average” Al Kaabi said.  

On his part, Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs welcomed the guests and thanked them for their attendance. The first part of the seminar on “Facilitating Customs work” was moderated by Khalil Saqr, Director of Corporate Communication Department 

Musabih said the objective of organizing 2nd Dubai Customs Week is to raise awareness amongst clients and employees about the role of Dubai Customs and the advancements taking place in its services and technologies. 

“There are eight main challenges facing customs work worldwide. These include the increasing number of passengers. For example, in 2014, there were around 3.3 billion passengers and are expected to reach 7.3 billion passengers in 2034. This prompts us to develop our services and products in order to keep up with these big changes” Musabih explained. 

In the first session, Mohammad Juma Buossaiba, Director-General of the UAE Federal Customs Authority talked about the features of the Authority’s strategy between 2017 and 2021. 

“Our new strategy is building an economy based on knowledge and the values and principles of UAE Vision 2021. These are the prerequisites of the fourth customs industrial revolution in the UAE. We adopt the latest technologies in clearance, inspection and exchange of information and expertise” he explained. 
Mohammed Khadem Al Hameli, Deputy Director General, Abu Dhabi Customs also focused on facilitation as a catalyst to better serve clients and promote economic growth. 

“Abu Dhabi Customs keeps improving its systems to support the movement of cargo and passengers. We have better online linkage with Saudi customs and we are working on a sohphisticated risk engine that can target suspected shipments” he said. 

On his part, Mohammed Al Mehrizi, Director General of RAK Customs briefed the attendees on RAK Customs experience, its achievements and future plans. 
At the end of the first session, Ahmed Mahboob Musabih awarded His Excellency Commissioner Ali Al Kaabi, Head of the Federal Customs authority, Mohammad Juma Buossaiba, Director-General of the UAE Federal Customs Authority and Directors General of Customs Departments.