KUWAIT: A senior Kuwaiti customs official affirmed Wednesday that Kuwait’s pioneering experience in automating customs procedures qualifies it to play a leading role in developing the inter-Arab customs system. Acting Director of the Air Cargo Department at the General Administration of Customs Raed Al-Mathkour said during the 38th meeting of the Customs Procedures and Information Committee at the League of Arab States in Cairo that Kuwait has made significant strides in digitizing and streamlining customs operations, gaining extensive expertise over many years.
Al-Mathkour noted that Kuwait has successfully shared its expertise with several Arab countries, including Egypt, where automated systems developed in cooperation with a Kuwaiti company are currently in use. He stressed Kuwait’s aspiration to contribute to building a unified Arab customs platform that would accelerate trade exchange and facilitate the smooth movement of goods across borders.
The Kuwaiti official highlighted that the efficiency of Kuwait’s customs operations is widely recognized, with performance indicators regularly submitted to international bodies such as the World Customs Organization and the World Trade Organization. He emphasized that Kuwaiti Customs continues to enhance its infrastructure, improve the business environment and invest in training programs to raise the skills of its employees across all sectors.
On the discussions held at the Arab League meeting, Al-Mathkour said participants explored the potential of artificial intelligence applications to improve customs work and reviewed successful experiences from countries such as Sweden and Norway. The talks also addressed the wider adoption of modern technologies to computerize customs operations in Arab states, particularly within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), to accelerate clearance processes and strengthen economic integration.
Al-Mathkour underscored that Kuwait’s participation in such meetings aims to exchange experiences and ideas that facilitate smoother customs procedures among Arab countries. He further noted that while the GCC states have already achieved substantial progress toward building a unified platform and harmonized system, broader Arab efforts are now moving in the same direction, raising hopes for deeper regional cooperation in the near future. — KUNA
