UN postal union adopts expanded four-year road map

The United Nations Universal Postal Union (UPU) has adopted a new and expanded four-year road map that emphasizes the key role played by the postal sector in the world’s economy.

The strategy’s objectives cover the previous one, but also seek to bolster the inter-operability, quality and efficiency of the global postal network, promote sustainable development of the sector and its economy and encouraging the growth of postal markets and services.

The UPU’s member countries unanimously adopted the new road map yesterday during the 24th Universal Postal Congress convened in Geneva.

Also yesterday, a proposal to expand the UPU’s fundamental mission to extend the role of the postal sector to fostering trade and development was rejected, despite a majority of votes in favour of it.

The proposal – which received 97 votes in favour, short of the 114 needed – said that the UPU’s mission should also include its position within the UN family as well as the sector’s contribution to promoting economic and social development.

Member countries which voted for extending the UPU’s scope said that the proposal would better reflect the reality, which reaches beyond distributing letters and parcels.

But 28 nations voted against it, with the United States arguing that the UPU should concentrate on what is mentioned in the current mission, which is to boost communication worldwide through efficient and accessible postal services.