UPU, COMESA discuss postal sector reform
The Universal Postal Union (UPU) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) on Monday began a two-day workshop here involving communication officers to discuss postal sector reforms in the economic bloc.
Zambian acting minister of communication and transport, Ludwig Sondashi emphasised the importance of modernising the postal services in COMESA, saying that remained the main means of communication amongst the majority of the people since COMESA was in the primary stages of development.
“Although the world is now a single village under globalization, most of the rural areas are not covered by the ICT services, thus the post still serves as the sole means available to the ordinary citizen,” he noted.
Sondashi said in opening remarks that COMESA member states could not afford to ignore the competitive pressures that were transforming the postal sector.
“African countries need to implement their policy agenda that embraces liberalisation and respond to customers’ needs for improved services. Any policy reform strategy will have to address the complex question of universal service,” he observed.
