MEDIA ADVISORY: World’s media invited to cover UPU’s Second Extraordinary Congress in Addis Ababa, 3-7 September

Around 1,000 representatives of 192 countries and the global postal sector will soon meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to discuss the Post’s future.

The Extraordinary Congress, hosted by the Ethiopian government, is only the second in the 144-year history of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), the United Nations specialized agency on postal matters, and will discuss UPU reform, and plans to foster the postal sector’s sustainability.  What: The Second Extraordinary Congress of the Universal Postal Union. When: 3-7 September. Where: African Union Conference Centre, P.O. Box 3243, Roosevelt Street (Old Airport Area), W21K19, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Journalists attending the Second Extraordinary Congress at the conference centre will have the opportunity to cover the following on 3 September:

• 10am to noon (GMT+3): The Opening Ceremony in Mandela Hall; and
• 1pm to 2pm: The opening press conference in Briefing Room 4 attended by Bishar A. Hussein, the UPU Director General and Ubah Mohammed, the Ethiopian Minister of Communication and Information Technology

From 6-7 September, journalists can attend a UPU Ministerial Strategy Conference bringing together ministers in charge of the postal sector, chiefs of regulatory authorities, heads of intergovernmental agencies and other high-level representatives of organizations to discuss how Posts benefit economies and societies in general (http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/congress/ministerial-strategy-conference.html). NOTE: Journalists will have their own working room for the duration of the Congress and there will be a daily briefing on the main events and interview opportunities.    Those journalists unable to attend the Extraordinary Congress can view proceedings on UNTV (http://webtv.un.org/). * *** * For media enquiries, please contact: David Dadge Manager, Communication and Events Programme Universal Postal Union (UPU) Executive Office Directorate T +41 31 350 31 23 E david.dadge[at]upu.int For accreditation of local journalists, please contact: Yoadan Tilahun Managing Director Flawless Events yoadan[at]flawlessevents.net For accreditation of international journalists, please see: http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/congress/participation/media-accreditation.html