Kingdom of Saudi Arabia set to host the UPU’s Fourth Extraordinary Congress

The Fourth Extraordinary Congress of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) – the United Nations specialized agency responsible for leading the development, regulation, interoperability and sustainability of the international postal network – will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 1 to 5 October, 2023 under the Patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Congress is the supreme decision-making body of the UPU, convening plenipotentiaries from the organization’s 192 member countries every four years. An Extraordinary Congress is convened at the request of member countries when there are urgent postal sector issues pending decision that cannot wait until the next quadrennial meeting. During the Fourth Extraordinary Congress, UPU member countries will discuss opening the Union to wider postal sector players, as well as planning a path forward on climate action in the sector, the future of postal financial services and other urgent sectoral matters.
 
Speaking about the Extraordinary Congress, UPU Director General Masahiko Metoki expressed his gratitude for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s generosity in hosting the global postal community, including Ministers, CEOs of postal operators and partners of the postal sector, as well as UPU secretariat staff.
 
“This Extraordinary Congress comes at a pivotal moment for the UPU when the organization is engaged in building new partnerships and bridges with all segments of the postal sector at large. The proposals being examined at this Congress strive to guarantee that postal services around the globe meet the needs and expectations of all people and businesses in an ever-changing environment, while contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable future,” said the UPU Director General.
 
UPU member countries selected the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as host following a vote during the October 2022 plenary meeting of the UPU‘s Council of Administration.
 
This event makes Saudi Arabia the third Arab country to host a UPU Congress. The Kingdom, in pursuit of its ambitious Vision 2030, is keen on showcasing its influential role across various domains, as well as its targets and initiatives in developing the postal and logistics sector following the National Transport and Logistics Services Strategy.
 
For his part, H.E. the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Engineer Saleh Al-Jasser, expressed his gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his gracious patronage of the conference. This reflects the leadership's keen interest and continuous support for the logistics sector, aiming to achieve aspirations towards this vital sector, making it a significant contributor to supporting the national economy and enabling other sectors of the country to achieve their ambitious national goals and enhance economic diversification.
 
H.E. Al-Jasser emphasized that the Fourth Extraordinary Congress would be beneficial to everyone, given the significant international participation, which will result in valuable insights contributing to the development of this crucial sector. The Congress is aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transport and Logistics Services Strategy, aiming to solidify the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub and a pivotal link between continents, serving as a model for an integrated transportation system.