Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director-General of Dubai Customs and CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, said Dubai Customs completed 381,275 customs declarations during the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
He affirmed that Dubai Customs keeps pace with Dubai’s dynamic progress by developing smart customs systems and programmes that work around the clock to fulfil the needs of clients at any time and place.
Musabih said, “The current global economic challenges, in which the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic is intertwined with the effects of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, and the disruption of supply chains have highlighted the importance of the role played by global trade hubs in linking international markets and supporting regularity of the supply chains. The UAE has emerged as a significant global trade hub thanks to its advanced infrastructure, strategic location and developed systems, applications, and operations.
“We have completed 24 million transactions in 2021, growing 50 percent compared to 2020, which amounted to 16 million transactions. Some 99.6 percent of the transactions were completed online through the department’s smart systems, where the smart workspace platform enabled the completion of the customs declaration in less than four minutes.”
During the Eid al-Fitr holiday, Dubai Customs handled 659,101 bags for 515,235 passengers on 4,170 flights coming to the country through Dubai airports. The department has taken many measures in the three airport terminals and Al Maktoum International Airport to facilitate the entry of visitors and tourists.
In the Passenger Operations Department, there are 822 customs officers and inspectors working to achieve the happiness of travellers and consolidate Dubai as the world’s tourism capital. Dubai Customs also dealt with 19,132 cars coming through the Hatta border crossing. They facilitated customs procedures for visitors from the Gulf to ensure they have a pleasant stay in the emirate during the festive season.
Musabih highlighted Dubai’s latest achievement being ranked first in the world in attracting foreign direct investment projects, an international recognition and a new accomplishment under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The emirate has attracted 418 new investment projects, according to the annual report of the Dubai Investment Development Corporation.
Musabih said the cross-border e-commerce platform, developed and launched by Dubai Customs as the first of its kind in the region, stimulates e-commerce companies’ activities and operations and related companies such as logistics service providers and express shipping companies to encourage them to establish distribution centres in Dubai.
Dubai Customs has recently launched several innovations, including electric vehicles, used by inspectors, the customs submarine to detect and intercept suspicious vessels, the i-box initiative for valuable goods, and the second phase of i-Declare smart application.
Between 2000 and 2021, Dubai Customs received more than 46,000 ideas and won 145 local and international prizes.