Maldives Customs signs MoU with UAE

Maldives Customs Service and Federal Customs Authority (FCA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Sunday on enhancing cooperation and mutual assistance between the two government agencies.

The MoU was signed by Commissioner General of Customs Ahmed Mohamed and Acting Director General of FCA Khalid A. Al Bustani, during an event on Sunday at the FCA Headquarters in Dubai.

Under the MoU, both customs administrations will cooperate in providing mutual assistance in areas of enforcement of Customs laws, regulations and procedures, share expertise and resources, and exchange information on threats to the international supply chain, said the Maldives Customs Service in a statement on Sunday.

Gulf News reports that Khalid Al Bustani, Acting Director-General said that through the agreement, the UAE seeks to enhance trade and economic cooperation with all its trade partners due to its pivotal role in Middle East trade and the Gulf region.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Commissioner General Ahmed Mohamed expressed his confidence that the MoU will enable Maldives Customs to translate the experience and know-how of UAE Customs for valuable use.

Trade between the UAE and the Maldives reached $256 million between 2009 and 2013. UAE one of the biggest trading partners to Maldives, accounting for approximately 33 percent of the Maldives total imports.