Speech by UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein at the CA ceremony of signing the Cooperation Agreement with UNI Global Union, 25 October 2018.
I am extremely pleased to sign this cooperation agreement with UNI Global Union today, and to do it in the presence of our member countries here at the plenary of the Council of Administration.
This agreement is the result of productive discussions between our two organisations, and a mutual willingness to work together to bring value and knowledge to the postal sector worldwide.
With our combined expertise and networks, the UPU and UNI Global Union will be able to make real progress in a range of issues that are highly relevant to the postal operators in our member countries.
The postal sector is a major employer worldwide, and an active member of society.
This collaboration will help us shed light on how postal sectors can serve not only their staff, but also the communities in which they operate.
This is not the first time that UPU has worked together with UNI Global Union.
We have much to be proud of, perhaps most notably the HIV campaign which we carried out from 2009-2011 in post offices worldwide to raise awareness among the general public and postal employees about the HIV virus.
Under this cooperation agreement, we will build on these previous accomplishments, and strive to deliver a number of projects and activities on issues jointly defined as crucial to the future of postal operations.
Among the topics identified are sustainable development and disaster risk management, studies into postal employment, and opportunities for vocational training and community work.
These topics will be addressed through capacity building actions, flagship publications, as well as possible projects implemented together with postal organisations in our member countries.
With the postal sector facing new business realities and exploring new avenues for income generation and for increased resilience, we believe that the activities mentioned above will serve our members worldwide.
We look forward to realising these activities together with UNI Global Union.
Thank you.