Dubai Customs and the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) streamlining the synergy in implementing the Dubai Customs in-house developed and owned Risk Engine at Dubai Chamber. This agreement is the outcome of both parties keenness to achieve optimal strategic goals and to better forge bonds of collaboration, pertaining to trade facilitation and risk mitigation.

This agreement, signed at the Dubai Customs head office, will enable Dubai Chamber to utilise the Dubai Customs Risk Engine platform upon its revamping and tailor fitting to accommodate Dubai Chamber service of issuing Certificates of Origin (COOs).

The signing of this MOU draws upon Dubais unique method in exchange of expertise, harmonising amongst government entities and sharing of best practices under the wise directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

In the presence of H.E. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman of DP World, and Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation; H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director, Dubai Customs, and H.E. Hamad Buamim, President and CEO, Dubai Chamber, signed the agreement during a ceremony attended by officials and directors from both entities.
This MoU is set to cement bilateral relations between the two parties via coordination, joint efforts, exchange of expertise and technological resourcefulness. It also aims to make best use of Dubai Customs knowledge and expertise by applying the Risk Engine to Dubai Chamber, for the sake of screening data risk and level of accuracy as being submitted by clients onward for the issuance of a COO.

A joint team has been formed comprising the technical and relevant departments within the two entities in order to commence on this new venture.
Sultan Bin Sulayem hailed the signing of this MoU which he said reflects the integration between government entities in Dubai and their true partnership with the private sector. While Dubai Chamber represents the business community in the emirate and plays a leading role in facilitating and promoting their trade and industry operations, Dubai Customs equally serves an important part in enhancing the stature and competitiveness of Dubai globally through a range of trade facilitations for investors and traders. This strong synergy is backed by advanced services available in seaports, airports as well as the cutting-edge infrastructure Dubai boasts.
Bin Sulayem also praised the long-standing cooperation between the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation. The continuity of this collaboration has been maintained through numerous projects that have positively impacted the sustainability and growth of Dubai economy in particular, and the UAE economy in general, whilst a lot of countries around the world suffer from recession, he said.

This is due to the hard work undertaken in Dubai under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and his continuing directives to diversify the economic structure and sources of income, and encourage complementary government action, which has given the trade sector a clear vision and confidence in the government, helping traders expand their business activities in the local market and elsewhere, emphasised Bin Sulayem.

He further added that Dubai would keep on developing its infrastructure through mega initiatives and growth-oriented projects, such as Al Maktoum International Airport, and the underway expansions at Jebel Ali Port and Dubai International Airport, besides a lots more which would benefit the business community and the country at large.

The 100% in-house developed Risk Engine and endogenously made by Dubai Customs human capital, is a smart system connected to multiple channels of resources streamlining data on Customs declarations of consignments and individuals as well. The system is managed by Dubai Customs Intelligence Department; responsible for profiling and analysing of such data in order to identify risks and intercept suspected consignments.

The system contributes to the expediting of clearing risk-free transactions, which in return gives Dubai Customs the luxury of catering eased and efficient services to its clients, facilitating legitimate trade and deterring potential illicit trade practices.

H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih said, Seeking to ensure our clients happiness, we at Dubai Customs adopt constant development as a core approach in implementing best strategies, policies and innovated systems; interpreting the vision of our wise leadership and contributing to achieving UAE Vision 2021 and Dubai Plan 2021.

The Dubai Customs Risk Engine developed by our cadres, who we are proud of, is designed to accommodate all types of transactions and greatly cuts the need for human intervention in processing. As such, in 2015, around 97% of Customs risk-free transactions were automatically approved in less than two minutes without any human intervention, compared to 95% in 2014.

The Director of Dubai Customs thanked the project team from Dubai Chamber and Dubai Customs for their efforts which he said led to signing this MoU as a landmark among many previous fruitful projects between both parties. He stressed that the globally-recognised Risk Engine has won national and international accreditation due to its uniqueness.
The WCO Columbus Diagnostic Mission Report, initially designed to develop Customs work around the world has acknowledged Dubai Customs as an ideal example for Customs work on the international level, in attribution to its implemented procedures, work systems and its exquisite clear vision in compliance with international Customs work criteria. The report also made a recommendation to Customs authorities around the world to make use of this unparalleled system.

This smart system contributed drastically in achieving a wide array of seizures, varying from a paramount 8.6 million Tramadol tablets worth AED 100 million, 500k Captagon worth of AED 25 million, AED 15 million worth of African ivory and 171.2 kg of cocaine worth AED 200 million in one single seizure recognised as the largest nationwide haul over the past five years. The system also helped in intercepting numerous restricted and prohibited items such as bladed arms, witchcraft and sorcery items, he said.

On his part, H.E. Hamad Buamim said: Collaborating with Dubai Customs is in the best interest of the business community and the private sector we represent at Dubai Chamber.

He added, This undertaking will create a notable impact, by mitigating the risks of COOs, expediting transactions, reducing risks in business processes, reducing cost, creating a better customer experience and this service can be availed around the clock; ultimately contributing to the overall status of Dubai as a global hub of easy and streamlined trading.

H.E. Buamim also emphasised that Dubai Chamber has set its target to lessen the number of customers visits by 30% during 2016, and to upsurge this percentage in the consecutive years. Dubai Chamber is considered as one of the leading Chambers in the world in terms of the number of Certificates of Origin issued with an average of 2,500 3,000 COOs per day, he said.