Universal Postal Union reveals more about the Extraordinary Postal Congress
Every four years representatives from the Universal Postal Union’s 192 member countries come together at the Universal Postal Congress to make changes to the UPU’s rules and decide its strategy and priorities for the next four-year work cycle.
An Extraordinary Congress may be requested between regular Congresses with the support of at least two-thirds of the UPU’s member countries. The first time this occurred was in 1900 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the UPU in Berne, Switzerland.
During the 26th Universal Postal Congress in Istanbul in 2016, member countries decided to meet for a second Extraordinary Congress. It was called to take decisions on issues that member countries determined needed further study, but which were too important to the development of the postal sector and the sustainability of the UPU to delay until the next Universal Postal Congress in 2020.
More specifically, the Second Extraordinary Congress is being convened as part of ongoing efforts to reform the UPU, with a view to improving and speeding up decision-making processes within the organization and ensuring its financial sustainability.
Topics to be examined by the Second Extraordinary Congress
Following the relevant decisions taken by the bodies of the UPU, a number of key topics will be examined by the Second Extraordinary Congress:
- Implementation of the UPU’s Integrated Product Plan and the Integrated Remuneration Plan
- Reform of the UPU
- Reform of the system applied to contributions by UPU member countries
- Sustainability of the UPU Provident Scheme
UPU Ministerial Strategy Conference 2018
During the Second Extraordinary Congress, there will be a Ministerial Strategy Conference on 6–7 September 2018. During this conference, government ministers and other senior decision-makers will discuss how postal operators and the postal sector in general can better serve nations and citizens, help grow the economy and drive development. Speakers at the conference will also include senior officials from other intergovernmental organizations. The conference will, at the same time, review the implementation of the UPU World Postal Strategy adopted at Istanbul in 2016.
To watch the Extraordinary Congress via live streaming, please go to: webtv.un.org
