Dubai Customs said it has signed an agreement with Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) to enable it to enjoy all the services and benefits that Dubai Customs provides through its cross border e-commerce platform.
The innovative platform utilises blockchain technology to integrate and automate operations between customs, free zones, logistics, and courier companies, said the statement from Dubai Customs.
It is the first of its kind in the region and aims to help the emirate become a global hub for e-commerce and encourage e-commerce companies to set their businesses in Dubai.
This follows the leadership’s vision of increasing Dubai-based companies’ local and regional distribution share of e-commerce trade in the emirate to AED24 billion by 2022 by decreasing the cost of e-commerce operations by 20 percent, it stated.
E-commerce is expected to contribute AED12 billion to the emirate’s GDP by 2023, it added.
This agreement comes as part of its efforts to boost the role of Dubai and the UAE e-commerce on the global stage, said Abdullah Mohammed Al Khaja, Executive Director of Clients Management Division, Dubai Customs, after signing the agreement, with Abdulla bin Damithan, Chief Commercial Officer, DP World, UAE Region.
It will see Dubai Customs’ highly experienced employees provide e-commerce services to Jafza to ensure the best performance in enhancing Dubai’s external trade, he noted.
"Dubai Customs looks forward to developing the local competencies in the e-commerce sector in support of the advancing e-commerce activity in Dubai and its success in attracting regional and global e-commerce platforms into the emirate," Al Khaja said.
"The number of e-commerce parcels has increased in the first half of 2020 to 4.3 million marking a staggering 150 percent growth compared to the corresponding period in 2019. We are eager to keep abreast with this growth and to help customers easily access the world’s markets in support of Dubai’s external trade and its role as a global hub for trade and tourism," he added.
Bin Damithan said both e-commerce and retail were promising sectors at Jafza. "The sector grew 10.6 percent in the first half of 2020 making AED37.6 billion in revenues," he noted.
"There is also 300 percent increase in demand for e-commerce services. To this end, we contact companies registered with us to help them take their business online," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
