The value of Dubai’s non-oil foreign trade doubled 10 times between 2000-2019

Dubai Customs played a major role in supporting the prosperity of foreign trade and economic growth, during its history of achievements, as Dubai’s non-oil foreign trade witnessed a significant growth and its value doubled about 10 times between 2000 and 2019, rising from 143 billion dirhams in The year 2000, to reach in the year 2019 of 1.371 trillion dirhams, while the value of Dubai’s foreign trade in the first half of this year reached about 551 billion dirhams.

The march of Dubai Customs witnessed successive stages of work and completion. In the seventies of the last century, Dubai Customs established customs centers in various sea, air and land ports of the Emirate of Dubai, which include coastal customs centers in Dubai Creek, Port Rashid Customs Center in addition to Jebel Ali customs centers and with the expansion of Dubai. In the construction of airports, customs centers were established in the buildings of Dubai International Airport and the Al Maktoum Airport building. Air customs centers specialized in air freight have also been established. Land customs centers have witnessed a great development that enhances Dubai’s role in the trade movement transported by land to local markets and transit from Dubai to neighboring countries.

On April 1, 2001, Dubai Customs entered a new development phase with the establishment of the “Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation” and since 2006, Dubai Customs has witnessed a significant improvement in the level of performance as the development of customs services provided by the department has actively contributed to the UAE’s acquisition of the status. The first in the world in the index of effectiveness of customs authorities.

Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs said that the department is keen to play its vital role in performing the tasks entrusted to it in protecting society, facilitating trade and supporting travel and tourism. The department has worked to continuously develop its capabilities and kept pace with all stages of development witnessed by the country, guided by the vision of our wise leadership in future foresight and planning. The right to achieve the most important achievements with diligence, perseverance and careful study of the projects and initiatives launched by the department to develop customs work and consolidate its position in the global forefront by providing the best commercial and customs services to dealers through leadership in customs innovation at the international level.

He added that with the celebration of the 49th National Day of the UAE, Dubai Customs continues to prepare for the future plans for the next 50 years in the country’s march and is working on developing new projects and initiatives that enable it to make new leaps in improving the level of its services provided to customers in order to make them happy and enable them to achieve the added value of their choice. Dubai is a destination for their commercial operations to support the economic development of the UAE by transforming challenges into achievements and opportunities that enable us to continuously achieve new achievements.

Dubai Customs achieved many achievements and sought to provide the best services to customers by developing and innovating new methods that facilitate customs procedures. The department’s achievements in this field include the launch of the integrated customs system Mersal 2, the electronic business channel, the smart risk engine system, and smart services. The department strengthened its efforts to achieve more communication with the private sector. And the business community through the advisory board to enhance cooperation with trade groups and the “engagement” initiative to coordinate with diplomatic bodies and foreign business councils.

Out of its keenness to make customers happy, the department launched the “Our 7-Star Centers” project with the aim of raising the efficiency and classification of customer service centers according to the international star rating system to provide a welcoming and comfortable service environment for customers in order to make them happy and encourage them to expand their trade through Dubai and Dubai Customs kept pace with the developments witnessed by the world in the year 2020 In terms of the Covid 19 pandemic crisis, it supported the ability of dealers to complete their customs transactions through smart services, and the department also took all precautionary measures to confront the pandemic, with the completion of inspections without delay to enable dealers to complete customs clearance quickly, which supports their ability to deliver their goods directly to the market.