event

SIDS Postal Leaders Forum 2024

 

By leveraging digitalization and technology, the SIDS Postal Forum 2024 seeks to empower SIDS Posts and enable them to overcome their unique obstacles. It aims to foster collaboration, share best practices, and explore innovative approaches that can contribute to the economic advancement, social well-being, and resilience of SIDS.

Mar
05

Tuesday, 5 March to Thursday, 7 March 2024
Mahé, Seychelles

Watch online:

   


Day 1: Tuesday 5 March 2024
8:30 – 9:00 Participant registration
 
9:00 – 9:30 Opening ceremony:
  • Welcome remarks by the Seychelles Post CEO, Ms Mariella Buisson
  • Remarks by the Representative of the African Union Commission, Ms Mihret Woodmatas
  • Remarks by the Deputy Director General, Mr Marjan Osvald
  • Keynote address by His Excellency Minister of Finance, National Planning and Trade, Naadir Hassan, Representative of the Head of State
9:30 – 9:40 Group Photo
 
9:40 – 9:50 Preliminary remarks:
 
“Postal Digitalization, Integration and Innovation: Sustainable Growth Boosters for SIDS”
  • Mr Marjan Osvald, Deputy Director General, UPU
9:50 – 10:00 General Forum Orientation
  • Mr Mutua Muthusi, Director of Cooperation and Development, UPU
10:00 – 11:00 Presentations: Perspectives from the Caribbean
  • Ms Marsha Tanecia Price, Postmaster General, Belize Postal Services
  • Ms Pearlina Faucher, Assistant Postmaster General, St Lucia Postal Service
  • Mr George Irving Alexis, Managing Director, Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation
  • Ms Clare Seraphin-Wallace, Postmaster General, Dominica Postal Service
11:00 – 12:00 Presentations: Perspectives from the Pacific Islands
  • Mr Vira Tamata Timbaci, Chief Executive Officer, Vanuatu Post Limited
  • Ms Lotomoua Tuungafasi, Chief Executive Officer, Tonga Post Limited
  • Ms Pulaalofa Saulo Haulagi, Chief Executive Officer, Tuvalu Post Limited
12:00 – 13:00 Presentations: Perspectives from the Indian and Atlantic Ocean
  • Ms Mariella Buisson, Chief Executive Officer, Seychelles Postal Services
  • Ms Sharuma Aminath, Assistant Managing Director, Maldives Post Limited
  • Mr Jayraj Ittoo, Business Development, Marketing and Communication Manager, The Mauritius Post Ltd
  • Mr Houmadi Fadhula, Head of Operations, Routing and Distribution Department, Responsible for International Accounting and Statistics, Societé Nationale des Postes et des Services Financiers (Comoros)
13:00 – 13:15 Cooperation and technical support to assist SIDS in implementing adaptation measures in the postal sector
  • Mr Mutua Muthusi, Director, Development and Cooperation, UPU
13:30 – 13:30 What is UPU CC?
  • Mr Walter Trezek, Chair, UPU Consultative Committee

13:30 – 14:30
 
Lunch
 
14:30 – 14:45 Collaborative regulation for digital transformation
  • Ms Nancy Sundberg, Senior Programme Officer, International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
14:45 – 15:00  Presentation: Recommendations for improving the digitalization of postal services
  • Ms Mihret Woodmatas, Senior ICT Expert, African Union Commission
15:00 – 15:15 Presentation by the African Telecommunications Union
  • Dr John Omo, Secretary General, African Telecommunications Union
15:15 – 15:30 Crypto stamps®: Pioneering the next chapter in philately
  • Mr Michael Dorner, CEO, Stampfinity

15:30 – 16:00
 
Coffee break
 
Roundtable Navigating Diverse Seas: Capitalizing on Postal Opportunities
 
16:00 – 17:30 The importance of fostering productive partnerships to leverage expertise, resources, and knowledge sharing in the postal sector
 
Moderator: Ms Manale Azar
Postal Consultant
  • Mr Carey Anthony St Clare Brown, Deputy Postmaster General, Jamaica Post
  • Ms Marsha Tanecia Price, Postmaster General, Belize Postal Service
  • Mr Isidoro Mendes Gomes, Postmaster General, Correios de Cabo Verde
  • Mr Santosh Gopal, CEO, Ship2myid
  • Mr Ignacio María Mayer, VP Sales Europe & Africa, Mail Americas
17:30 End of session

 


Day 2: Wednesday 6 March 2024
The Integrated Postal Reform and Development Plan (IPDP) and Digital Transformation Assessment
 
9:00 – 9:45 Presentation: The Integrated Postal Reform and Development Plan (IPDP) and Digital Transformation Assessment
  •  Mr Juan Moroni, Digital Inclusion Expert, UPU
9:45 – 10:00 Presentation: Digital post: Unlocking new revenue streams from addressing, direct marketing to e-commerce
  • Mr Santosh Gopal, SHIP2MyID
10:00 – 10:15 Presentation: E-commerce & logistics cooperation between private companies and Posts offices, virtual addresses for developing countries
  • Mr Ignacio María Mayer, VP Sales Europe & Africa, Mail Americas
10:15 – 10:30 Presentation: Optimizing sorting, traceability, and timeliness in small countries
  • Mr Gilles Poderos, CEO Tech Forum, ISITEC

10:30 – 11:00
 
Coffee Break
 
11:00 – 11:30 Presentation: UPU technology: Current and upcoming innovative IT solutions for postal services
  • Mr David Avsec, Coordinator, Account Relations and Product Management, Postal Technology Center, UPU
11:30 – 11:45 Presentation: Climate changes: Operating sustainable postal services
  •  Mr Kevin Albert, Manager, Quality of Service Security & International Relations, Seychelles Postal Services
11:45 – 12:00 Presentation: A global crypto stamp® collaboration: Connecting islands through shared philately
  • Ms Anja Derkits, Stampfinity
12:00 – 12:30 Presentations: Best practices from postal administrations that have successfully generated considerable revenue from financial services, including through partnerships
  • Mr Jayraj Ittoo, Business Development, Marketing and Communication Manager, The Mauritius Post Ltd
12:30 – 13:00 Presentation: Pre- and post-disaster management
  •  Ms Fumiko Nohara, Disaster Risk Management Expert, UPU

13:00 – 14:00
 
Lunch
 
14:00 – 14:15 Presentation by SwiftLogix
  •  Mr Vivek Ramalingam, CEO, SwiftLogix
14:15 – 15:30 Open discussion: UPU mandatory minimum security standards and the importance of implementation throughout the postal supply chain
  • Mr Cecil Benjamin, Caribbean Security Expert, Barbados

15:30 – 16:00
 
Coffee Break
 
The importance of establishing contracts and agreements with airline companies to efficiently transport items in SIDS
 
16:00 – 16:15 Presentation: Transportation and logistics integration
  • Mr Jan Bojnanský, Postal Supply Chain Coordinator, UPU
16:15-17:30 Panel discussion
 
Moderator:
Mr Marjan Osvald
Deputy Director General
  • Mr Kassahum Tefera, Area Manager, Ethiopian Airlines
  • Mr Ram Vignesh, Product Manager E-commere, Postal Mail, Etihad Airways
  • Mr Sandy Benoiton, Chief Executive Officer, Air Seychelles
 


Day 3: Thursday 7 March 2024

The importance of the development of digital infrastructure for designated postal operators

9:00 – 9:30

Presentation:
 
Trade facilitation solutions for postal supply chains: Challenges and opportunities after the pandemic

  • Mr Jan Hoffmann, Head, Trade Logistics Branch, Division on Technology and Logistics, UNCTAD

9:30 – 10:45

Panel discussion: SIDS digital divide challenges, experiences and considerations in adopting digital technologies for the enhanced diversification of postal services
 
Moderator:
Mr Juan Moroni
Digital Inclusion Expert
UPU

  • Ms Nancy Sundberg, Senior Programme Officer,
    International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
  • Mr John Omo, Secretary General, African Telecommunications Union
  • Mr George Irving Alexis, Managing Director, Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation
  • Mr Vira Tamata Timbaci, Chief Executive Officer, Vanuatu Post Limited


10:45 – 11:15


Coffee Break
 

11:15 – 13:00

Panel discussion: How best to leverage e-commerce in small islands?
 
Moderator:
Ms Mihret Woodmatas
African Union Commission

  • Mr Algernon Luther Robert Gomes, Postmaster General, General Post Office (Antigua and Barbuda)
  • ​Ms Pulaalofa Saulo Haulagi, Chief Executive Officer, Tuvalu Post Limited
  • Mr Isireli Koyamaibole Leweniqila, Board Chairman, Fiji Post
  • Mr Dennis Li, General Manager of Cainiao European Express Network


13:00 – 14:00


Lunch
 

14:00 – 14:45

Summarizing the key points of the forum, outlining the next steps and commitments made, and providing a concluding message on the future of the postal sector in SIDS

  • Ms Mariella Buisson, CEO, Seychelles Postal Services

14:45 – 15:30

Official launching of the stamp competition for children related to the UPU 150th anniversary
 

15:30 – 16:00

Coffee and end of the forum