Dubai Customs showcases its services for the disabled at AccessAbilities Expo 2016

Dubai, UAE, February 13, 2016:   Dubai Customs (DC) has taken part at AccessAbilities Expo 2016, held between February 9th-11th at Dubai World Trade Center, under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group. DC is a main sponsor and strategic partner of the event. 

This year’s show has been hosted in Dubai under the theme ‘Enabling Communities, Integrating Lives’. The exhibition is aimed at supporting the UAE’s journey to becoming differently-abled friendly by 2020. The event welcomed more than 150 exhibitors from the government and private sectors from 30 countries , with a footfall of over 3,000  visitors. 

Khalil Saqer bin Gharib, Director of Communication Department, said: “Dubai Customs has been keener to be actively present in AccessAbilities Expo which is being held in the UAE for the first time, as it provides a perfect platform to for government bodies, special education centres and associations to showcase and share experience in regards to the inventions and services dedicated to people with disabilities.”    

He underscored that Dubai Customs pays utmost attention to empowering and enabling the disabled, by integrating a number of them within its valued workforce and providing them with a differently-abled friendly environment and facilities to help this key segment of our society prosper and advance in their career life.    
Bin Gharib also pointed out that Dubai Customs has exempted goods and materials used by people with disabilities from Customs duties in accordance with the Cabinet decree issued on the matter. “Duty exemption covers educational and medical tools, machinery, power wheelchairs, cars manufactured especially to be used by people with physical disabilities, crutches, and devices for the hearing, speech and visually impaired," he said.

As part of its CSR commitments, Dubai Customs seized the participation at the AccessAbilities Expo to showcase its focused efforts towards the inclusion of the disabled, making sure to have employees in special need on its stand at the exhibition. They were given opportunity to share their experience at Dubai Customs, the difficulties they faced and how they overcame them, thanks to their own determination and encouragement from family, as well as the enabling services and facilities they were provided at work by Dubai Customs. The participants also stressed that DC helped them build their capacities and gave them the necessary motivation and appreciation to shine professionally and grab numerous awards, including in the DGEP.