Dubai Customs shares its AEO implementation experience during global conference

Dubai, UAE, May 25, 2016:  A high profile delegation from Dubai Customs took part in the WCO 3rd Global AEO Conference, held recently in Cancun, Mexico. 

Dubai Customs Director, Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, was a panellist on the  first day plenary session of the conference. He presented to the global gathering the UAE’s state-of-the-art Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) program of which Dubai is the pilot. The Executive Director of Clients Management Division, Abdullah Al Khaja and Director of Customs Declaration Management, Eman Bader Al Suwaidi were also present among Dubai Customs’ delegates. 

Dubai Customs has concluded the design of the first pilot launch phase for the AEO Program in a bid to achieve the fully operational state by mid-2016 in accordance with the SAFE Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade, which is globally recognized as the (SAFE Framework) . Dubai Customs AEO Program team have already handpicked a group of companies to be the cornerstone in gauging   the program’s readiness and to ensure compatibility and full compliance with the WCO’s AEO enrolment criteria prior to its fully operational launch nationwide in the nearby future. 

“It is of our core management values to adopt, integrate and implement the world’s first class best practices for the best interest of Customs work and trade facilitation. Dubai Customs has opted for walking the extra mile in implementing the AEO Program for the sake of forging and cultivating on broader strategic partnerships that would help boost and smoothen the flow of global legitimate trade.  Such partnerships will be realized through Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) among AEO Program adopting countries and partners of the global supply chain, ”  said Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, while speaking at the panel.

He asserted that the would-be implemented AEO program will give strong impetus to the nation’s global trade position ahead of the looming post-oil economy era. 

“The AEO program functionally enhances our ability to predict and envision the global trade supply chain for many years to come, thus empowering us with a greater proactiveness in managing and planning logistics. The program also helps in reducing document and shipments controls, which significantly adds up to our capacity to handling the colossal and diversified amounts of goods and commercial transactions coming in to Dubai via air, land and sea ports.” 

Dubai Customs Director, a lead panellist at the conference, also highlighted that upon the full implementation of the AEO Program, qualified companies will be entitled to a wide array of benefits, especially in the ease of accessibility to global markets at large and to countries that have entered in MRAs with the UAE. 

On a final remark, Dubai Customs Director affirmed that DC’s participation in the WCO’s 3rd Global AEO Conference was aimed at finding better strategic ways to sharing and gaining more expertise from several successful experiences around the world, with the presence of such countries that have made great strides in the implementation of AEO programs.  

Under the theme “The Evolution of Security in Global Trade: Great partners, Innovative technology and Smart practices ”, the event brought together a congregation of 1100 participants form 75 countries and international entities representing Customs administrations and authorities, business leaders and academics, for the  purpose of  discussing how key industry players can work together to make the best of the facilities and opportunities the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Program has to offer to the world trade and global supply chain.