His Excellency Ahmed Butti Ahmed, Executive Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, and Director General of Dubai Customs, declared that the Expo 2020 will provide huge investment opportunities through projects planned to be established during the remaining seven-year period up until its launch. He added that the event constitutes an ideal opportunity for all local and international companies to benefit from these projects.
These statements were issued during His Excellency's meeting with an economic delegation comprising representatives of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), in addition to major Japanese manufacturers working in the UAE. At the beginning of the meeting, he welcomed the delegates and discussed ways to further strengthen the economic presence of the Japanese business sector in the emirate, and affirmed the Department’s commitment to providing all the necessary facilities for different business sectors, investors, and traders. Furthermore, he affirmed the Department’s commitment to eliminating any obstacles that may be encountered while importing, exporting, or re-exporting.
Butti praised the high quality of Japanese products in all industries, and highlighted the quality and quantity of Japanese investments in the country. He affirmed Dubai Customs' adherence to developing commercial exchange and economic cooperation with Japan, which is considered one of Dubai’s most prominent trading partners.
Butti added that the Expo 2020 will be launched in Dubai after a 7-year time period, during which a number of projects will be implemented to aid in the Expo’s success. This will be a good opportunity for international companies, including Japanese companies, to participate in these projects and to be an integral part of the event. He noted that Japanese companies in particular have a well-established and successful experience in the UAE markets.
Butti confirmed that Dubai Customs will continue their efforts in the field of trademarks protection for producers in various countries around the world. He said: “We are fighting counterfeiting and piracy, and consider them one of the Department’s operational priorities. Not only because counterfeiting harms the interests of companies, but also because it impacts the safety and health of the consumers of these counterfeit goods, especially when it comes to medicines and the spare parts of motor vehicles”.
Butti called on Japanese companies in various manufacturing sectors to be part of the efforts that address counterfeiting and piracy by providing awareness lectures and workshops for Dubai Customs’ inspectors in the field of intellectual property, and by differentiating between the original and counterfeited products. This is to bolster the efforts of the Department in this field throughout the past several years.
Butti reiterated that there is a developed training centre in the Department with equipped rooms, in which workshops and training courses are organized for Department’s employees in all the fields of administrative and customs work, in order to improve their skills and develop their abilities. Also, he called Japanese companies and factories based in the Country to directly communicate with the Intellectual Property Rights Department at Dubai Customs.
The Japanese delegation expressed their gratitude for the warm welcoming and hospitality at Dubai Customs. Delegation also praised the Department's efforts in fighting counterfeiting and piracy, which reinforced the reputation of Dubai Customs as a department that supports legitimate trade.
Mr Koichiro Yamaura, the Director of the Office for Anti IPR Infringement, Manufacturing Industries Bureau, Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), stated: “Fortunately, Tokyo will organize 2020 Olympic games, the same year in which Dubai hosts International Expo. It is a great opportunity to activate relationships between the two countries in the field of trade and experience exchange.” He added that the Japanese companies based in the country have economic interests, therefore they seek to develop relationships between the two sides and expand their investment activities.
At a later meeting that was attended by Abbas Makki, Director of External Relations at Dubai Customs, the visiting delegation was briefed on the procedures and work mechanisms applied by Dubai Customs to combat counterfeiting and piracy, including the awareness campaigns on the risks of using counterfeit materials. The campaigns were carried out for customs inspectors, employees of federal and local government entities relevant to IPR, school and university students and the community at large. Measures taken by Dubai Customs to combat counterfeiting and piracy were applauded by the Japanese delegation, who requested to take part in them and play a role in the community initiatives rolled out by Dubai Customs.