The 26th Universal Postal Congress, where important decisions will be made to shape the future of the postal sector, is being held in Istanbul between September 20 and October 7, 2016.
Nearly 2,000 delegates from 192 countries will attend the Congress, which is taking place in Turkey for the first time. A UPU Ministerial Conference is also planned for October 4 with the attendance of ministers from nearly 50 countries.
The 26th Universal Postal Congress, hosted by the Postal and Telegraph Organization Incorporated Company (PTT Corp.) under the Ministry of Transportation, Maritime and Communication, is taking place at the Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel and Conference Center.
The Congress will be attended by nearly 2,000 delegates from the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) 192 member countries, who will determine the “World Postal Strategy” governing the UPU’s work between 2017-2020. The four-year strategy, shaped with current technological advances and innovations in the communication sector in mind, will carry the name of its host city, Istanbul.
Ministers from 50 UPU member countries to convene in Istanbul
One of the most important meetings of the 26th Universal Postal Congress will be the UPU Ministerial Conference. The conference, to be held on October 4, will be guided by the theme of “Delivering Sustainable Development: Connecting Citizens, Businesses and Territories.” Its sessions will focus on the Post’s role in social and financial inclusion, development, trade facilitation, the digital economy and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The conference, which will be attended by the Ministers of nearly 50 UPU member countries, will discuss how to handle the challenges facing the postal sector. Turkey will chair the conference together with the Ivory Coast.
Turkey to take on Chairmanship of the Administrative Council until 2020
After hosting the Istanbul Congress, the Turkish Republic will take on the role of Chairman of the Council of Administration (CA) between 2017 and 2020. The CA is a UPU body that ensures the continuity of work between Congresses.
PTT Corp. Chairman of the Executive Board and Director General Kenan Bozgeyik recalled that during the 25th Congress, which took place in Doha, Qatar in 2012, “Our Minister of Transportation, Maritime and Communication of the time, currently the Prime Minister, Mr. Binali Y?ld?r?m showed great support and effort, resulting in the decision of the 26th Congress taking place in Turkey.”
Kenan Bozgeyik stated that the Istanbul Congress will address topics such as quality of service which is crucial for growth of the post business. Director General Bozgeyik said that the Istanbul World Postal Strategy will focus on goals such as improving the functioning of the postal network, as well as fostering effective market functioning while focusing on the principles of innovation, integration and inclusion.
On his part, UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein said: “This Congress will focus on transformation. Our business has transformed and now we, the Post, must transform ourselves to meet our customers’ needs and ensure that the postal network delivers as one.”
Director General Hussein further stated that: “The UPU plays a vital role in ensuring that member countries have a forum to convene on moving the postal business forward. To help countries, the Union needs to work efficiently. That is why at this Congress, the UPU is asking member countries to help us transform our operations as well."
One of the key proposals at the Congress is on reform of the union, which is aimed at reducing wastage of resources and optimizing efficiency through speedy decision-making structures.
Sustainability through “paper smart” Congress
The 26th Universal Postal Congress will make strides in sustainability as the first “paper smart Congress”, meaning the majority of documents will be presented to delegates in electronic format.
The Universal Postal Union (UPU)—of which PTT Corp. was a founding member in 1874—has been a specialized agency of the United Nations since 1948.