Author: Amani Alzaabi

Emirates Customs”… a unified identity to enhance competitiveness

The customs sector in the UAE is one of the main sectors that contribute to protecting the security of society, maintaining its stability, promoting the development process, and supporting economic growth.

In continuation of the achievements made by the customs sector in the country, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security recently and officially launched the name “Emirates Customs” as a unified identity for the customs sector in the country in implementation of the decision and directives of the esteemed Council of Ministers.

 

Unifying the name of the customs sector in the country as “Emirates Customs” is a very important step to strengthen the strategic partnership between the components of the customs sector in the UAE, unify the country’s customs identity, and then move to a new phase of customs work that leads to enhancing the country’s leadership and competitiveness regionally and globally.

 

In confirmation of the new identity of the customs sector in the country, the slogan “Emirates Customs” was adopted, which includes a set of authentic Emirati values, the most important of which is the interconnected national role in providing customs services and external representation in a way that maintains the country’s regional and global leadership.

The logo reflects, through the colors it contains, the prosperity and cultural progress of the state and its position as a safe transit gateway between the East and the West, in addition to its aspiration towards the future with unparalleled confidence and ambition, and its pride in its heritage and its extension in its present and future. The logo embodies the pivotal role of customs operations and their dynamic movement represented in supervisory activities.

 

The combination of colors that make up the logo between green and blue expresses the wide scope of carrying out customs operations through land, sea and air ports, as a natural reflection of the prosperity and civilizational progress of the country’s territory.

The wise leadership of the UAE does not stop being creative and innovative in developing the government work system until the UAE government is the most efficient and flexible government in the world. In this context, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, “may God protect him”, launched on November 8, 2023, the “Zero government bureaucracy” program.

The program seeks to simplify and reduce government procedures and eliminate unnecessary procedures and requirements. Ministries and government agencies were directed to immediately implement the program by canceling at least 2,000 government procedures, reducing at least 50% of the time periods for procedures, and eliminating all unnecessary conditions and requirements within a year. The results of the work will be evaluated and the best achievements will be celebrated by the end of 2024.

The launch of the “Zero Government Bureaucracy” program embodies many clear strategic messages and goals, the most prominent of which is that caring for people first and improving the quality of life of society is the focus and goal of government work, and that the comfort of this person and the provision of proactive, flexible services that meet their current and future aspirations before they request them is the backbone of government work. In all sectors, the launch of this program also confirms that the process of developing the government work system is a dynamic, continuous process that does not stop, and accepts any development that benefits people and society, maintains the country’s leadership, and supports its competitiveness.

Within a few months, the Cabinet team concerned with eliminating bureaucracy, in cooperation with the relevant teams in ministries and government agencies, made great efforts that contributed to unifying visions, setting steps, and approving initiatives and projects. Zeroing bureaucracy became a reality on the ground in the UAE, and many ministries and government agencies succeeded in achieving Reducing the steps of most of the services it provides, which is what everyone feels and witnesses today in the UAE and abroad.

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security has an important and major role in achieving the goals of the government bureaucracy zeroing program, due to the breadth of the services it provides and the diversity of its customer base, and in response to the directives of the wise leadership and fulfilling the requirements of the program, the pace accelerated and the authority’s bureaucracy zeroing team succeeded in achieving one achievement after another in cooperation. With the team concerned with eliminating bureaucracy in the esteemed Council of Ministers, in a clear message that reflects the authority’s keenness on seriousness and sincerity in serving humanity first, improving the quality of life of society, and committing to implementing strategic government directions by developing the service system, reducing procedures, and shortening the customer’s journey to be more comfortable, enjoyable, and safe.