Policy advisory assistance

The UPU Strategy for the 2026 to 2029 period places greater emphasis on demand-driven assistance and capacity-building activities to help requesting countries strengthen their postal policy and regulatory frameworks.

Through policy advisory assistance, the UPU supports member countries in designing, implementing and evaluating postal sector policies, and provides practical tools for planning and reform. Central to this advisory work is the Postal Reform Plan (PRP), supported by the Postal Reform Guide (PRG) and a suite of PRP management tools and templates.

The Postal Reform Plan (PRP) is the UPU policy advisory assistance framework that supports member countries undertaking efforts to reform their postal sector to respond to these trends and to promote the sector as a provider of relevant solutions to public policy goals. The PRP framework offers a structured and controlled environment for the development of evidence-based and results-focused sector policy and a framework for measuring its effectiveness once the policy and regulatory framework is implemented. The PRP framework is supported by the various modules of the Postal Reform Guide, which contains the substantive information, theoretical and practical models, best practices and guidelines relevant to different areas of postal sector policy.

The PRP core methodology is adaptable to diverse national contexts, enabling government, regulators, and postal operators to address challenges specific to their circumstances. Whether the focus is on foundational reforms – such as establishing universal postal service obligations and creating a robust regulatory framework – or advanced modernization efforts, including digital transformation and diversification, the PRP methodology ensures a systematic and coherent approach

The PRP introduces accountability mechanisms that ensure that the project is conducted in a controlled and managed environment. Under the new methodology, managing PRP projects is managing for results. The Postal Reform Plan as the UPU’s policy advisory assistance framework for project and results management of sector reform is provided below. 

The Postal Reform Guide (PRG) covers 19 modules across four focus areas and serves as the primary reference for postal reform policy, offering practical and conceptual guidance to align reforms with international best practice while adapting to national circumstances.

PRP management tools and templates in support of postal sector reform. 

The Project Charter is a record of a planned project. It outlines the expected benefits of postal sector reform, the postal reform goals and the selected policy focus areas (scope) of the PRP project. Moreover, the charter is used to obtain the Government’s formal authorization to begin a project. 

The results framework is a vital component of the PRP, ensuring that the reform process is designed, monitored, and evaluated in alignment with its intended goals and objectives. Drawing on results-based management, the results framework establishes clear connections between reform goals, postal sector specific objectives, planned actions (deliverables), outcomes, and long-term impacts, creating a structured pathway for achieving reform objectives.

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