UPU Strategy: round tables in Montevideo and Vienna

The series of UPU regional round tables on the future World Postal Strategy continues. On 3 and 4 September, it was the turn of member countries of the Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal (PUASP) to add their input to the next UPU postal strategy: Nineteen Latin American countries, as well as Canada, United States of America and Spain, recently met in Montevideo (Uruguay). PUASP Secretary General, Serrana BASSINI CASCO, welcomed the Strategy’s regional approach.

Another round table was held in Vienna (Austria) on 11 September, bringing together members of the Association of European Public Postal Operators (PostEurop). Like the other regional encounters, the Vienna round table also decided on priorities, in this case those of European operators for the upcoming Nairobi cycle, among them quality of service, the regulatory context and corporate social responsibility. PostEurop has yet to approve these priorities. The European Committee for Postal Regulation (CERP) announced that it too would discuss the World Postal Strategy before the end of the year.

Since the first round table, held in the Russian Federation in June, 252 participants from 107 countries have had the opportunity to give their views of the future strategy. The International Bureau has just sent out the first draft strategy document to all UPU member countries for comment. This wide-ranging consultation will enable all member countries, not just those elected to the Union’s decision-making bodies, to have a say in the discussion. Before being adopted by member countries at the 2008 Nairobi Congress, the UPU’s future four-year roadmap will be discussed at the joint sessions of the Postal Operations Council (POC) and the Council of Administration (CA) in February 2008. The future strategy covers three main themes: the interconnectivity of networks, governance of the postal sector and the development of markets and economies.