The Postal Operations Council (POC) and Council of Administration (CA) met at the UPU's headquarters between 1-12 April, where they took decisions on the organization’s work, including a way forward on changes to the remuneration systems for global postal exchanges.
Fast-tracking reforms to the postal remuneration systems was a point of focus for the two councils, with the United States of America having notified the UPU last October of its intention to withdraw from the UN specialized agency as a result of the government’s objections to the current remuneration methodology.
The POC and CA expert groups studied possible changes to the remuneration systems, with a view to having the councils propose a solution to UPU member countries for a decision before the country’s October 2019 withdrawal date.
Referencing the discussions in his opening remarks to the Council of Administration Plenary, UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein thanked UPU member countries for their “efforts and show of clear desire to keep the Union united as a strong single worldwide network.”
“Your efforts have demonstrated your support for a multilateral approach to providing global postal solutions,” he said.
The CA agreed to put the three options proposed by the POC forward for decision of UPU member countries. Before that, however, the UPU’s member countries shall decide by postal ballot whether they wish to convene an Extraordinary Congress this September 24 and 25 to discuss and vote on this critical and sensitive matter. If there is no agreement, and as the default solution, decision making on the three options will take place by another postal ballot.
Access to UPU products and services
Both councils also discussed policies on the access of wider postal sector players to UPU products and services. A proposal approved by both councils will see the UPU open up its supply chain-related IT services to priority partners, such as Customs and airlines, in a move to improve the efficiency of transport and security across the postal network. Until now, these services were only available to designated postal operators of UPU member countries.
The councils will continue studying the possibility of opening up other UPU products and services, such as its postal payment services, training platform and Online Solution for Carbon Analysis and Reporting (OSCAR), to wider postal sector players in the future.
New strategy
Members and observers of the CA had a first look at the preliminary draft of the Abidjan World Postal Strategy to be adopted during the 2020 Congress in Côte D’Ivoire, which will govern the Union’s work between 2021 and 2024.
A task force created the draft strategy based on consultation with a number of UPU stakeholders. Policymakers were the first to give their inputs on the new strategy during the 2018 Ministerial Strategy Conference held during the Second Extraordinary Congress in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. An inclusive consultation with various key postal sector players done at the end of 2018 gathered 170 responses from 128 member countries, further informing the draft strategy.
Member country representatives attending the Regional Strategy conferences taking place this April through August will also have the chance to provide their feedback.
Representatives from 110 countries, including council members and observers, attended the meetings. The next sessions will take place between 14-25 October 2019.