Qatar, Saudi Arabia to link customs before 2013

Qatar Customs Department announced that it had agreed with a Saudi customs delegation currently visiting Doha to complete the electronic link between customs of the two countries before the end of this year. The Saudi delegation discussed the final arrangements for the completion of the automated link between the two customs with Ahmed bin Ali Al Mohannadi, the Director General of Qatar Customs Department, a statement issued Wednesday by the department said. The statement pointed out that the meeting, which was attended by technical experts from both sides, saw the discussion of a number of topics related to procedures and arrangements of automated interconnection and exchange of customs data. The two sides underlined the importance of the completion of an electronic connection to exchange data on the movement of vehicles. They also set a timetable for the conclusion of the electronic link between Abu Samra customs in Qatar and Salwa customs in Saudi Arabia. After the meeting, the Saudi delegation visited the customs port of the Abu Samra and Salwa to test them and review the requirements needed for the connecting process and test networking between the two ports using information sharing techniques that have been agreed upon.