UPU Director General: As we leave Riyadh, let us carry with us the spirit of collaboration
Speaking at the closing plenary meeting of the Congress, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 1 to 5 October, the UPU Director General, Mr Masahiko Metoki, said that, “Throughout our time here, we have witnessed the extraordinary power of international collaboration and the enduring importance of the postal sector in connecting people, businesses and nations.”
He concluded with, “As we leave Riyadh, let us carry with us the spirit of collaboration, the determination to innovate, and the unwavering commitment to serve our communities.”
Enhanced wider sector engagement
With a view to bolstering the development of a truly interconnected, efficient and universal postal service for all, the UPU members passed a raft of proposals that will see deeper engagement of the UPU with wider postal sector players – those postal companies and partners outside the UPU network of government-designated postal operators.
Transforming postal financial services
The Congress also ushered in changes to postal financial services, with a focus on modernization and interconnection with wider postal financial service players. This will include the evolution of the UPU’s legal frameworks for postal payment services, as well as the eventual establishment of an advisory knowledge centre, subject to extrabudgetary funding, to ensure future-ready services.
Increased budget
In an historic decision, the UPU member countries decided to increase the UPU’s regular budget ceiling to provide the organization with additional financial resources.
Closing accolades
On the final day of the Extraordinary Congress, the UPU launched its first “State of the Postal Sector” report, which, using the UPU’s wealth of postal data, draws a clear link between postal sector maturity and economic resilience. The report includes an index of postal development worldwide, comprising data from 172 countries.
Awards were given to those who achieved the highest overall level of postal development (Austria, France, Germany, Japan and Switzerland), those who saw the greatest year-on-year improvement in postal development (Oman, Slovenia and Uzbekistan), and those who attained the highest level of development within their region (Brazil, China (People’s Rep.), Estonia, Ethiopia and Morocco).
