TradePost Forum

Welcome and opening remarks

• Mr Masahiko Metoki, UPU Director General
• Mr Pedro Manuel Moreno, Deputy Secretary General, UNCTAD
• H.E. Mr Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, Minister of Digital Transition and Digitalization, Côte d'Ivoire (Rep.)

Panel 1, co-organized by the UPU and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

“The postal network as an enabler for e-commerce and trade facilitation” 

The panel will examine the practical tools developed by international organizations – both governmental and private – to enhance the postal contribution to trade facilitation and e-commerce growth. These tools encompass information, systems, channels and aid, with a focus on innovative approaches to facilitating trade and e-commerce access. 

Moderator: Mr Siva Somasundram, Director of Policy, Regulation and Markets, UPU  

• Amb. José Sánchez-Fung (Dominican Republic), Chair of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Trade and Development  

• Ms Maria Teresa Pisani, Chief of the Trade Facilitation Section, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division, UNECE 

• Mr William Gain, Global Lead for Trade Facilitation, Customs Reform and Border Management, World Bank Group 

• Mr Paul Donohoe, Digital Policies and Trade Coordinator, UPU

Panel 2, co-organized by the UPU and eTrade for Women

“Enabling trade inclusion for MSMEs, women and underrepresented communities through the postal network” 

The panel will focus on enabling trade inclusion for MSMEs and underrepresented communities by addressing their specific challenges and leveraging the support of governments and international organizations. The aim is to share valuable insights on effective trade facilita­tion practices and strategies for including MSMEs and underrepresented groups, such as women, minorities and people with disabilities.

Moderator: Mr Philippe Isler, Executive Director, Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation

• Amb. Matthew Wilson (Barbados), Chair of the informal working group on MSMEs, WTO 

• Ms Tadhim Uwizeye, Founder and CEO of Olado  

• Ms Elena Fernández-Rodríguez, Director of International Relations and Sustainability, Correos, Spain, Correos

• Ms Susan Alexander, Sustainability Services Programme Manager, UPU

SIDE EVENT
The postal sector: a key partner for sustainable and digital development
The State of the Postal Sector 2023 reveals the strong causal relationship between postal and economic development. Countries with robust postal services demonstrated greater capacity to absorb the shocks of recent disruptive events like the COVID-19 pandemic, and showed signs of quicker economic recovery. This is also why a well-functioning global postal infrastructure can be decisive to boost cross-border e-commerce exchanges and the digital economy. Relying on a unique big data platform and official UPU postal statistics, the UPU monitors the evolution of international postal exchanges and the impacts of different digital trade policies and regulations on these exchanges. Join us for a discussion on this research and its potential applications for policymaking.