On the sidelines of the AI for Good Global Summit 2026, held in Geneva from 7 to 10 July 2026, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening collaboration on capacity development in artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity, helping countries accelerate inclusive digital transformation and address the emerging risks and opportunities associated with these technologies.
The renewed commitment was discussed during a bilateral meeting between Siva Somasundram, Director of Policy, Regulation and Markets at the UPU, and Dr Cosmas Zavazava, Director of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau. Building on a well-established partnership, the discussions explored opportunities to expand capacity-development activities through the ITU Academy, focused on practical training, knowledge-sharing and implementation support for policymakers, regulators and postal operators.The collaboration builds on the successful delivery of the joint UPU–ITU training course “Inclusive digital transformation in the public sector”, delivered through the ITU Academy in May 2026. The course helped government officials and policymakers advance inclusive, people-centred digital transformation by enhancing their understanding of practical approaches, including the role of existing public service networks and institutions.
Going forward, the UPU and ITU intend to place particular emphasis on AI and cybersecurity, two areas that are becoming increasingly important for trusted public service delivery and resilient digital infrastructure. The strengthened collaboration reflects growing demand from member countries for more targeted capacity development on how to govern and deploy AI responsibly, as well as how to strengthen cyber resilience across essential service networks.
In the postal sector, these issues are becoming increasingly relevant as operators expand their role in e-government, e-commerce, digital financial services, logistics and data-enabled public-service delivery.
The collaboration will also build on the recent launch of the UPU’s POST-ISAC, an initiative aimed at strengthening information-sharing and collective preparedness across the postal sector. POST-ISAC provides an important platform for raising awareness, sharing threat intelligence and supporting a more coordinated approach to cyber resilience.
“Our cooperation with ITU on capacity building has already delivered tangible results, and we now have an opportunity to take it further in two areas of growing importance for our members: artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The objective is to equip countries with practical knowledge and tools so that digital transformation remains trusted, inclusive and beneficial for all,” said Somasundram.
“Capacity development is fundamental to enabling countries to harness the opportunities of artificial intelligence while strengthening cybersecurity and cyber resilience. By deepening our collaboration with the UPU, we are expanding practical learning opportunities through the ITU Academy to help policymakers, regulators and postal operators develop the knowledge and institutional capacities needed to implement trusted, inclusive and people-centred digital transformation,” noted Zavazava.
The UPU and ITU expect the strengthened collaboration to support joint learning opportunities, expert exchanges and follow-up activities tailored to the needs of member countries, particularly developing countries seeking practical pathways from strategy to implementation.