• Abdulla Busenad: Shaping a more innovative customs.. 2030 plan propels us toward an advanced global model
  • Building an institution capable of anticipating challenges and turning opportunities into achievements.
  • Full alignment with Dubai’s D33 economic agenda.. our goal is to establish Dubai as the most advanced and seamless customs destination worldwide

Dubai: As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen Dubai’s position as a leading global hub for trade, economy, and government innovation, Dubai Customs announced the launch of its project to update its institutional strategic plan 2026–2030. This initiative reflects the organization’s forward-looking vision to keep pace with rapid global developments in the customs ecosystem, enhance its role in protecting the community, facilitate trade, and support the sustainability of the national economy.

Fundamental shifts

This strategic update comes at a time when the global customs landscape is witnessing fundamental shifts—from advancing digitalization and transitioning toward the new economy, to the reshaping of international supply chains and the growing reliance on artificial intelligence and smart systems in risk control and the management of cross-border trade flows. The project contributes to translating Dubai’s vision to ensure the emirate continues to excel in future readiness and to consolidate its position as an integrated global economic center that enhances the UAE’s competitiveness among the world’s most agile and advanced economies.

Global trends

As part of the project, Dubai Customs held an extensive workshop that brought together leaders of customs departments and heads of organizational units. The aim was to discuss global and regional trends affecting the customs sector and global trade, explore potential future transformations, and encourage teams to propose high-impact initiatives that will enhance Dubai Customs’ readiness in the coming years.

The workshop discussed three main themes. The first focused on the global and regional trends shaping the future of customs, during which the results of a comprehensive study carried out by the project teams during the first six weeks were presented. The study identified eight key trends that will shape the future of customs over the coming years, most notably the digitalization of operations, the accelerated adoption of next-generation artificial intelligence technologies, the growth of cross-border e-commerce, and the strengthening of governance and transparency standards.

The second theme explored the development of strategic initiatives to reinforce leadership. Participants were encouraged to propose innovative initiatives aligned with national priorities and Dubai’s economic agenda, including increasing trade value, supporting Dubai’s position as a global capital for logistics services, and enhancing the efficiency of customs clearance procedures to become the fastest worldwide.

The third theme highlighted future indicators, with teams presenting a set of expected global developments to build a shared understanding of challenges and opportunities and to support decision-making in shaping the new strategic plan.

A pivotal phase

On this occasion, His Excellency Dr. Abdulla Busenad, Director General of Dubai Customs, affirmed that the project to update the strategic plan comes at a pivotal stage in which the UAE and Dubai are witnessing strong economic expansion driven by innovation, the knowledge economy, and the development of digital infrastructure.

He said: “The 2026–2030 plan reshapes the development of the future of customs work in Dubai. We are working to build an institution capable of anticipating challenges before they occur and able to turn every global opportunity into a national gain. This plan will combine efficiency with innovation and transform artificial intelligence from a supporting tool into a central element in decision-making.

“The new plan aligns with Dubai’s D33 economic agenda, which aims to double the size of the emirate’s economy over the next decade and increase trade levels. At Dubai Customs, we see our role as crucial in facilitating global trade, reducing procedural costs for companies, and enhancing border governance. Our goal is for Dubai to be the most advanced and seamless customs destination in the world.”

Customs innovation

For his part, Eng. Adel Al Suwaidi, Director of Strategy and Corporate Excellence Department at Dubai Customs, said: “We are preparing for a new phase of customs innovation and maximizing Dubai’s economic value. The strategic plan project represents a qualitative leap in the approach to customs strategic planning by adopting future-foresight methodologies and linking initiatives to global and regional economic dynamics.”

He added: “We will see broader reliance on advanced technology to improve data quality and develop the smart risk ecosystem, ensuring a balance between facilitating trade flows and protecting borders while supporting security stability in the community. We are preparing for a transformative shift in customs operations that will enhance Dubai’s ability to compete with the best centers for trade and logistics solutions worldwide.”