An exceptional virtual meeting of the UPU’s governing body - the Council of Administration - reaffirmed Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire as host of the 27th Universal Postal Congress to take place on 9-27 August 2021.
At its session of 30 June 2021, the Council of Administration also endorsed the submission of a proposal (for the approval of the 27th Congress) pertaining to certain special procedures on the voting system to be used for the Congress.
If adopted by the 27th Congress, the proposal will require secret votes on elections processes that have traditionally used paper ballots be carried out physically in Abidjan, as well as in Geneva, Switzerland..
The proposal, which raised an extensive debate among the CA members, was finally put to a vote and passed for submission to Congress. Several member states did not participate in the voting process.
Speaking after the vote Director General Bishar Hussein called on the need for member countries to seek consensus before the Congress on the issue related to the secondary polling station. Mr. Hussein said: “after so many disappointments, we are finally on the road to Abidjan. It is, however, unfortunate that we will be going to the Congress with a divided membership on the issue of the elections.”
Reacting to the outcome of the meeting, the Deputy Director General of the UPU, Pascal Clivaz, said, “I am so pleased that we are going ahead with the Congress in Abidjan. By holding the Congress in Africa, we can showcase the region’s high energy, creativity and technological innovation.”
For the very first time in its 146-year history, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) will consider holding its Congress in a hybrid format, where member country delegates and observer representatives might be able to attend in person, or remotely join via a virtual platform set up by the UPU’s International Bureau.
All Congress participants—including Union member country delegates and observer representatives—are expected to be registered and accredited. This is irrespective of whether they are participating physically or remotely. Registration information will be available on the Congress webpage ahead of the event. Badges will be printed and made available to Congress participants attending in person, while access credentials will be provided to those individuals registered to participate remotely.
For all the latest information on the Congress visit the dedicated web page: https://www.upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union/About-UPU/Bodies/Congress