Despite the challenges wrought by the ongoing pandemic, Dubai Customs has been able to buck the trend and successfully meet the challenges of the global economic recession.
The year 2020 saw new pioneering achievements for Dubai Customs in terms development of Customs work processes and innovation of new solutions and initiatives to ensure the smooth flow of trade and mitigate the impacts of the global pandemic.
Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs, said: “Against all odds Dubai’s foreign trade is gradually recovering with steady growth momentum despite disruptions from the Covid-19 outbreak.
“Dubai Customs also introduced several milestone projects supporting our direction to play a major role in future trade transformations. These include the launch of the Blockchain-based cross-border e-commerce platform, which paves the way to attract more logistics and e-commerce companies,” affirmed Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General, Dubai Customs
“In terms of society protection, Dubai Customs also launched ‘Siyaj’, the leading security initiative which employs 24/7 integrated smart control systems to curb illegal trafficking and smuggling, he added.
Non-oil foreign trade
Dubai recorded AED 551bn (US$ 150bn) worth of non-oil external trade in the first half of 2020. Imports accounted for AED 320bn (US$ 87.12bn), exports AED 77bn (US$ 21bn), and re-exports AED 154bn (US$ 41.93bn). A total volume of 44mn tonnes of goods were traded through Dubai during the period, including 30mn tonnes of imports, 8mn tonnes of exports and 6mn tonnes of re-exports.
Sharp rise in transactions
Customs transactions processed by Dubai Customs grew by 23% in 2020 compared to 2019. The sharp rise in transactions reflects the strength and resilience of the economy and the emirate’s proven capability to weather external economic shocks and turn challenges into real opportunities.
Smooth remote working
Dubai Customs is reaping the fruits of successful investment in advanced technologies and smart applications over recent years. Its business ran smoothly without any significant interruptions during the remote and home working period. There were automatic approval and clearance of about 97% of no-risk consignment transactions in 2 minutes without any human intervention.
From 15th March to 2nd June, employees completed 8.5mn minutes of audio and video calling using Microsoft TEAMS, shared screen for 2.1mn minutes, and sent 1.1mn instant messages. They conducted 298,000 individual and group calls.
IPR
Dubai Customs recycled 161,753 counterfeit, IP-infringing products for 59 international brands in 2020, instead of being destroyed. DC’s IPR department resolved 255 intellectual property dispute cases in 2020.
The department organized 56 IP awareness events and workshops that benefited 2,667 participants including students, supervisors, government staff and customs inspectors. As many as 367 trademarks and 203 new trade agencies have been recorded by Dubai Customs during 2020.
Moreover, the IPR department also registered 8 knowledge assets and innovations supporting Customs work that were developed internally by DC teams and employees.
Siyaj initiative
Dubai Customs launched Siyaj (Fence) initiative, the smart integrated system to control Dubai’s customs entry-points. The new system is based on a number of sophisticated AI technologies, rapid intervention teams that work around the clock, drones, and the K9 sniffing dog unit for targeting and inspection operations inside the customs zone.
The initiative will enhance Dubai and the UAE’s security and help protect the society from the hazards of illegitimate shipments and smuggling while facilitating trade and supporting the global supply chain.
e-Commerce
Dubai Customs plays a major role in supporting the strategy which sees Dubai as the world’s capital of the new economy. This is done through reinforcing the companies of the future economy such as the e-commerce businesses by facilitating trade and reducing costs for them so that they can set up regional operations in Dubai.
For that, Dubai Customs is developing the Cross Border e-Commerce Platform; the collaborative blockchain-based e-commerce platform, which caters to the needs of all stakeholders in the e-commerce supply chain.
The platform aims to increase the share of Dubai-based e-commerce businesses in local and regional distribution to AED 24bn (US$ 6.53bn) by 2022, through augmenting the number of regional and global e-commerce companies operating in Dubai in the coming years.
In order to motivate e-commerce companies to establish e-logistics distribution centres in Dubai, the government aims to reduce the total cost of e-commerce operations by 20% – including the costs of returned goods, storage, and transportation.
Dubai Customs estimates that E-commerce sales are expected to rise 23% to US$ 27bn (AED100bn) in 2022.
Training courses
Dubai Customs carried out 732 training courses during 2020, targeting 4,000 staff participants, spanning a total of 29,000 training hours. Of these 676 online training courses were conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic. DC’s summer training programme 2020 qualified 1179 students over 912 training hours.
Dubai Customs ‘Leaders’ training program graduated the fifth batch of employees who joined the program to develop their leadership competencies and gain learning and skills on how to overcome current and future challenges.
The programme, which Dubai Customs launched at the end of 2019, engaged 16 employees from different departments and centres in Dubai Customs.
The 54-hour program, accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management, ILM, included different sessions that covered topics like personal skills, authorization, leadership, team motivation and leadership skills.
During the programme, a Virtual Reality Leadership Lab was launched to train the employees in a unique and more interactive content.
CSR
Dubai Customs established a sustainable model for corporate social responsibility, and managed to overcome obstacles and challenges during this exceptional year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government entity conducted 140 community-oriented and charitable initiatives benefiting more than 63,000 people from all segments of society.
