1st Dubai Customs Week kicks off

DUBAI 24th January 2016 (WAM) -- Under the patronage and presence of Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem Chairman of DP World and Chairman of Ports Customs and Free Zone Corporation Dubai Customs announced today the start of the 1st Dubai Customs Week from January 24th to 28th coinciding with International Customs Day celebrations on January 26th.

Held under the motto 'Dubai Customs: A World of Digital Innovations' the opening ceremony was attended by Ahmed Mahboob Musabih Director of Dubai Customs Hani Rashid Al Hamli Secretary-General of Dubai Economic Council as well as a host of government officials and private sector figures.

Speaking on the occasion Sultan bin Sulayem said "The First Customs Week is in line with Dubai Customs' drive to boost engagement and active communication with clients whom DC strives to involve in the on-going development of procedures and processes to meet their needs while exceeding their expectations.

"The initiatives launched by DC to open more channels of communication with its clients have resulted in increasing DC's client satisfaction which amounted to 91.2% in 2014 compared to 89.2% in 2013 according to a survey conducted by the Executive Council of Dubai Government in 2014. The rise in client satisfaction comes as a result of DC's unwavering commitment to delivering value-added services and making good use of clients' feedback" he added.

Outlining the activities that will be held as part of the Week Ahmed Mahboob Musabih said "We want the 30 activities tailored as part of Dubai Customs Week to be two-way and engaging and serve long-term and mutual interests for all stakeholders. We hope they bring us closer to the public and our clients and raise their awareness of what we do to achieve economic and social sustainable development.

"Our clients will be involved and will serve an active part in the week's activities by delivering lectures and facilitating workshops on best practices and experiences in administration and logistics. This kind of engagement is important to sharing knowledge and expertise between customs and the private sector in order to help enhance operational efficiency and corporate performance" he elaborated.

Dubai Customs strives to make the first edition of Dubai Customs Week a resounding success by involving all stakeholders active business and trade communities foreign business councils employees and the community including school students and the young. Workshops and exhibitions tackling among others topics such as intellectual property rights the adverse effects of drugs and misuse of restricted medications will take place at Dubai Customs headquarters air sea and inland centres around Dubai major shopping malls fishing harbours at Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim as well as schools and universities.

The programme of events for the DC Customs Week includes various lectures workshops and awareness sessions for customers and the public across different locations. A total of 30 activities will be staged in a bid to bring all stakeholders and the community closer to the Customs work and raise awareness of the vital role it plays in keeping the society safe and supporting legitimate trade and economic development.

A short video depicting Dubai Customs' achievements and initiatives was played at the opening ceremony. At the end of the ceremony the audience toured an exhibition organised by Dubai Customs at its headquarters which showcased the history projects and innovations of DC.