The agreement is the outcome of an initiative by Dubai Customs' training Center and comes as part of Dubai Customs' awareness campaign about endangered species organized within the framework of the exhibition held by Dubai Customs over one week in Mirdif City Center displaying samples and models of some endangered species.
The Agreement was signed in Mirdif City Center by Ms. Feryal Tawakul, Executive Director of Community Affairs and Government Partnership Division and Dr. Elsayed Ahmed Ahmed Mohammed, Director of the Regional Office for Middle East and North Africa in IFWA.
"The agreement aims at enhancing the efforts to protect endangered fauna and flora, supporting legitimate trade worldwide, strengthening cooperation and mutual relations between Dubai Customs and IFAW and proceeding with developing and diversifying specialized training programmes at Customs Training Center in such a way that will contribute to develop human resources competency and improving wild and tame animals' life through minimizing commercial utilization of such animals”, said Ms. Tawakul
“The cooperative agreement provides for the coordination between the two sides over preparing and implementing a training programme for Dubai Customs' inspectors on combating illegitimate international trading in wild life, implementing the Convention on International Trading In Endangered Species (CITES), selecting efficient trainers by IFAW to conduct such training and providing the information on protecting and safeguarding wild life. The agreement provides as well for the joint coordination between the two parties over organizing specialized educational and awareness events in connection with wild life.
"Dubai Customs always directs its staff and enhances their abilities towards conserving nature and wildlife and protecting endangered species from illegal trading in cooperation with its local and international clients on top of which is the Ministry of Water and environment, and the World Customs Organization" Ms. Tawakul pointed out.
From his part, Dr. Elsayed Ahmed Ahmed, the Director of the Regional Office for Middle East and North Africa praised Dubai Customs’ great effort to foil attempts to smuggle and illegally trade in endangered fauna and flora specially that Dubai Customs is a contracting party to the CITES.
"The existing joint coordination between the two sides is continuing in different areas and the MOU will support the specialized training programmes for Dubai Customs' inspectors," Ahmed said.