Dubai Customs' Director General: Full Readiness for an Exceptional Season during ‘COP28' and Aviation Exhibition

Dubai – 13 November 2023: H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs, CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, has confirmed that Dubai Customs is fully prepared to welcome delegations, participants, and visitors for an extraordinary period during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change "COP 28," hosted by the United Arab Emirates from November 30 to December 12, 2023. He also highlighted the Dubai Airshow, which brings together over 1400 exhibitors from 148 countries and more than 300 international speakers.

This statement was made during his visit, along with the leadership team, to Al Maktoum International Airport, Al Maktoum Cargo Center, and Dubai Logistics City, as part of the field visits program to customs centers in Dubai. The visit aimed to assess the progress of customs services and development, emphasizing the need to facilitate services for clients and travelers, aligning with Dubai's economic agenda and the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Badr Al Harmoudi, the Inspection Manager at Al Maktoum Airport, presented the procedures to facilitate the passage of visitors and delegations participating in COP 28 and the Dubai Airshow. He highlighted coordination with operating airlines and relevant authorities, applying best practices to ease passenger movement at Al Maktoum International Airport.

Khalfan bin Yado, Senior Inspection Manager at Al Maktoum Cargo Center, reported that the center successfully processed 29,768 customs transactions in the initial nine months of this year, indicating a 5.25% growth compared to the 27,832 customs transactions during the same period last year. The count of customs declarations for imports for the first nine months of the current year stood at 12,000 declarations, contrasting with 11,787 customs declarations for the corresponding period last year. Concurrently, the customs declarations for exports amounted to 13,153, in contrast to 12,645 customs declarations. He emphasized that Al Maktoum Cargo Center offers innovative customs services and procedures, contributing to the enhancement of air cargo operations for various companies, including those in e-commerce.

The visit also showcased exceptional services provided by Dubai Logistics City Customs Center for global humanitarian shipments, contributing significantly to the timely arrival of aid and supplies to crisis-affected countries. Sami Issa, Senior Inspection Manager at the center, emphasized their commitment to Dubai Customs' 2021-2026 strategy, accelerating business operations and providing smart customs services to save time and costs for companies.

The center completed 234,520 customs transactions from January to October, supporting global companies, especially those responsible for humanitarian services. The center's efforts, in collaboration with Dubai South Management, involve expediting customs procedures through remote inspection. The recent launch of the "Remote Inspection Project" at GITEX, the first of its kind in the region, aims to shorten customs inspection time. This is achieved by utilizing advanced technologies and artificial intelligence for clearance agents and clients approved by the Authorized Economic Operator program, providing an additional advantage for participating companies.