Congress is the supreme authority of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and meets every four years. Plenipotentiaries from the UPU's 192 member countries gather to shape the future of the postal sector.
In 2021 at the 27th Universal Postal Congress in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the UPU’s member countries are expected to adopt the new World Postal Strategy – a roadmap for the new work cycle commencing in 2022. The Congress will also decide on new rules and set policies on the international exchange of postal items.
As part of the proceedings, member countries will elect the next UPU director general and deputy director general and decide on the membership of the UPU’s Council of Administration and Postal Operations Council for the 2021-2024 period.
Watch the Congress live on tv.upu.int
Blog "On the Road to Abidjan" by the UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein
Read "Promises Kept"
Media accreditation enables journalists to attend the UPU’s 27th Universal Postal Congress, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 9-27 August 2021, either in person or virtually.
The 27th Universal Postal Congress will be attended by:
- Delegates and representatives of UPU member countries
- Authorized observers and ad hoc observers
- UPU International Bureau staff and interpreters
It is worth noting that sessions of the Congress may be opened to UPU-accredited media representatives, at the organization's discretion and subject to approval by the Congress.
Information about country participation, the schedule of meetings and proposals will be uploaded to the UPU’s Documentation Centre.
Logistical information regarding accommodation, visas and special events taking place on the sidelines of the Congress can be found on the host country’s special Congress microsite: http://upuabidjan2020.gouv.ci/.
The UPU Ministerial Conference represents a unique opportunity to gather policymakers to discuss the future of the postal sector.
The first-ever Ministerial Conference was held during the Doha Congress in 2012. It brought together ministers responsible for the postal sector, as well as other high-level speakers, including Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands in her role as the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development, and the Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The speakers discussed the strategic issues facing the postal sector, as well as the sector’s evolving role in communication and as a driver of trade facilitation and socio-economic development.
In 2016, leaders attending the second Ministerial Conference, held in Istanbul, Turkey, focused on how the postal sector could better serve their nations and citizens, promote economic growth and drive development. The UPU also held a special Ministerial Conference during the 2018 Extraordinary Congress in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During this event, government ministers and other senior decision makers considered the best policies, investments, regulations and partnerships to enable the postal sector to unleash its potential in terms of service delivery and profitability.
The UPU will be holding the 27th Universal Postal Congress in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (Rep.), from 9 to 27 August 2021. As part of this event, a UPU Ministerial Conference will be held on 10 August 2021. The theme will be “COVID-19 and the postal sector – what has and hasn’t changed, and what needs to change”.
This will be an opportunity for government decision makers and the heads of UN agencies and other international organizations to take stock of the transformations resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and to reflect on what has not changed and the changes that are needed in order to bring about a sustainable future.