DUBAI 07, MAY 2023:  Dubai Customs celebrated the graduation of its employees from the 'Customs Leadership' and 'Bachelor of Supply Chain and Customs' programs. The event was attended by His Excellency Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs and CEO of Ports, Customs, and Free Zone Corporation, and Dr. Issa Al Bastaki, President of the University of Dubai, along with several executives, department managers, and graduates of the programs. The ceremony was held at the main headquarters of Dubai Customs.

The celebration reflects Dubai Customs' commitment to promoting continuous learning among its employees in the field of customs and aligning with future practices through specialized training programs. This is part of the government department's strategic plan to develop and qualify its workforce, contributing to the implementation of vital tasks and protection of the community, while facilitating trade.

Dubai Customs has graduated three batches of employees from the leadership development programs, which are supervised by the Customs Leadership Development Center. The programs included 16 employees from the Customs Leadership program, 16 employees from the Promising Customs Leadership program, and six employees from the Bachelor of Supply Chain and Customs program, which is offered in collaboration with the University of Dubai.
In his keynote speech, H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih stated that Dubai Customs had prioritized enhancing the capabilities and development of their employees in their 2021-2026 Plan. He explained that this priority aligned with their support of Dubai's economic agenda D33, which aimed to double Dubai's economy by 2033 through 100 transformative projects with ambitious economic targets to solidify its position among the top three global economic cities.

Musabih emphasized the importance of training and developing employees to keep them current with future advancements, familiarize themselves with top global practices, and gain knowledge of new principles concerning the economy and trade, which had attained a value of AED 2.2 trillion in the UAE in 2022. He further stated that such development efforts would assist in creating a cadre of domestic customs experts capable of driving future planned and sustainable growth.
According to Musabih, the role of Dubai Customs was to support innovative development projects that contribute to the strategic vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the best city in the world to live and work in. He explained that this was achieved through training and development of their employees, aligning them with training programs that keep them up-to-date with all future developments, familiarizing them with the best global practices, and equipping them with knowledge and hands-on experience in logistics and leadership to create a highly qualified national cadre capable of leading the future.

Musabeh concluded his speech by expressing gratitude and appreciation to everyone who contributed to the establishment of academic and training programs at Dubai Customs, and for their diligent follow-up in implementing the training programs. He ended his speech by congratulating all male and female graduates, hoping that they will contribute, along with the rest of the employees, in pushing forward the wheel of development in the customs work in the United Arab Emirates.
Dr. Issa Al Bastaki, President of the University of Dubai, praised the efforts of Dubai Customs in the development and training of its human resources by involving them in academic specialties that align with their work. The partnership between the University and Dubai Customs in the academic and training fields is exemplary.
He highlighted the Bachelor's program in Supply Chain and Customs, which is tailored to the needs of the customs and logistics work, providing qualified academic knowledge and specialized sciences to develop competent customs professionals.

Dr. Al Bastaki affirmed that the University is working in line with a strategic plan to develop human capital in collaboration with government and private entities in the UAE. The University's advanced and contemporary education and training initiatives align with the UAE's vision, providing opportunities for the workforce to learn at an international level.

He noted that the University of Dubai is committed to developing academic relations with all government and private entities, offering educational services to all job sectors and designing innovative academic programs that enhance the capabilities of employees in their work.

On his part, Mohammed Al Ghaffari, Executive Director, Human Resources, Finance and Administration Division at Dubai Customs, reported that the Customs Leadership Program was taught in three courses over a period of 6 months. Participants gained knowledge in digitization, advanced technology, efficiency in operations management, as well as insights into the future of the economy, market trends, and how to manage change proactively. Additionally, the program aims to identify and develop the employee's leadership strengths. Trainees receive a certified diploma from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). Recently, the 'Metaverse' technology was added to customs leadership development programs to prepare them and increase their knowledge of the latest global developments in transactions and tasks related to the use of smart applications.

The Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain and Customs was implemented to meet the requirements of the customs and logistics work and to support the development of employees by providing them with specialized knowledge and science to qualify academically trained customs personnel. As for the Customs Leadership Program, it was designed to enhance leadership skills and prepare a group of promising leaders who possess a forward-looking and innovative mindset to build an exceptional work experience with a focus on knowledge, in cooperation with the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) in the United Kingdom and City & Guilds.