UPU Council of Administration ends 2007 session
The UPU’s Council of Administration (CA) ended its 2007 session on Friday. The CA is the UPU body that approves the UPU’s programme and budget, sets the strategic direction of the worldwide postal sector and looks at policy issues such as universal postal service and the reform of the Union, among others. Among the highlights of this session:
– The draft of the Nairobi Postal Strategy 2009–2012 (four major objectives and 18 programmes) was approved in principle. The strategy is to be officially adopted at the 24th Congress (Nairobi, Kenya – 13 August to 3 September) and will act as a four-year road map for UPU member countries in bringing improvements to the worldwide postal sector
– The draft of the Postal Payment Services Agreement intended to replace the current agreement when it is presented at the Nairobi Congress was approved. The Agreement includes general operating principles and clarifies the role and responsibilities of governments and postal operators that provide postal payment services, including electronic ones
– Quality of service measurement targets were agreed upon for the 29 countries participating in the UPU programme linking quality of service to terminal dues, the payments countries receive for processing incoming international mail
– The CA approved a methodology (based on UN principles, gross national income and specific postal development indicators) for the country classification to be used for terminal dues purposes and the Quality of Service Fund
– With respect to the reform of the UPU, the CA agreed that a proposal to Congress will recommend that the Postal Operations Council be maintained and not changed into a Designated Operators’ Council
– The International Bureau will undertake a study to obtain more and better information about the operations of extraterritorial offices of exchange and private companies registered as international mail processing centers
– A resolution calling for general Congress proposals to include a statement regarding its financial impact on the UPU was adopted
– A resolution urging designated operators who provide international payment services to develop an anti-money laundering compliance programme in accordance with national legislation was adopted
– The CA was informed about and gave its support for the negotiations currently being conducted between the UPU and ICANN regarding the top-level domain name .post
– A resolution authorizing the UPU to officially adopt the emblem that appears on its flag as its new logo was approved. The new UPU logo will consist of the current UPU logo (showing a detail from its monument in Berne) with the United Nations olive branches around it
– The UPU signed an agreement with the Association of Postal and Telecommunications Operators of Portuguese-Speaking Countries and Territories providing a package of assistance worth 120,000 USD over two years to Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique and Sao Tomé and Principe
The UPU will hold its next and last sessions of the Postal Operations Council and the Council of Administration before the 24th Congress from 24 January to 1 February 2008 and from 4-8 February 2008 respectively.
