Dubai Customs has initiated an ambitious project to revise its institutional strategic plan for 2026–2030, a move essential for solidifying Dubai’s standing as a premier global center for trade, economic activity, and government innovation. Announced on December 15, 2025, this forward-looking initiative seeks to align the organization with unprecedented global transformations in customs procedures, including the rapid acceleration of digitalization, the emergence of a new global economy, and the crucial integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into risk control and cross-border trade management. The updated strategy emphasizes enhancing community protection, streamlining trade facilitation, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the UAE’s national economy amid shifting international supply chains.
Navigating the Global Customs Evolution
The decision to update the strategic plan comes at a pivotal moment characterized by fundamental shifts in the global trade ecosystem. These changes include the widespread integration of smart systems, increased reliance on AI for robust risk control, and the reconfiguration of international logistics networks. By proactively addressing these developments, the project aims to ensure Dubai maintains its competitive edge, reinforcing its position as a globally integrated economic hub and contributing significantly to the UAE’s overall competitiveness among the world’s most advanced economies. This internal review directly translates into measurable progress toward Dubai’s vision of future readiness.
To gather expert insights and foster collaborative planning, Dubai Customs hosted an extensive workshop that convened departmental leaders and heads of organizational units. The workshop was designed to analyze current global and regional trends impacting customs, anticipate future transformations, and generate high-impact proposals to bolster the organization’s readiness for the next five years.
The discussions were structured around three core themes:
- Global and Regional Trends: Participants reviewed findings from a six-week comprehensive study identifying eight key trends shaping the future of customs. These included intensified digitalization of operations, the mass adoption of next-generation AI, the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce, and a greater necessity for stronger governance and transparency standards.
- Strategic Initiative Development: Teams focused on formulating innovative initiatives linked to national priorities, such as increasing trade value, reinforcing Dubai’s role as a leading logistics capital, and ultimately working toward the goal of achieving the fastest customs clearance procedures globally.
- Future Indicators and Shared Understanding: The final theme focused on presenting expected global developments to establish a collective understanding of both emerging challenges and opportunities, thereby informing the new strategic plan’s decision-making process.
Innovation Aligns with Dubai’s Economic Agenda
His Excellency Dr. Abdulla Busenad, Director General of Dubai Customs, underscored that the strategy update arrives during a period of robust economic expansion within the UAE, powered by innovation, the knowledge economy, and advanced digital infrastructure.
“The 2026–2030 plan is designed to reshape the trajectory of customs work in Dubai,” Dr. Busenad stated. “We are focused on building an entity capable of anticipating challenges and converting every global opportunity into a national advantage. This plan will uniquely blend operational efficiency with innovation, leveraging artificial intelligence not just as a supportive tool, but as a central element in our decision-making framework.”
The forthcoming plan aligns strategically with the D33 economic agenda, which aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy and significantly boost its trade levels over the next decade. Dubai Customs views its role as central to this mission, facilitating global trade, reducing procedural costs for businesses, and enhancing border governance to ensure Dubai becomes the most advanced and seamless customs destination internationally.
Eng. Adel Al Suwaidi, Director of Strategy and Corporate Excellence at Dubai Customs, emphasized that the project signifies a major step toward maximizing Dubai’s economic value through renewed customs innovation. This strategic planning involves adopting rigorous future-foresight methodologies and closely linking initiatives to evolving global and regional economic dynamics.
“We anticipate a broader dependence on cutting-edge technology to improve data integrity and refine our smart risk ecosystem,” Al Suwaidi noted. “This will maintain a critical balance: facilitating smooth trade flows while protecting national borders and supporting community security. This transformative shift in customs will strengthen Dubai’s ability to compete with the world’s leading centers for trade and logistics solutions.” The final plan is expected to establish new benchmarks for operational efficiency and technological integration in the global customs landscape.