Congress

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 on this occasion to decide on a new World Postal Strategy and set the future rules for international mail exchanges.

An Extraordinary Congress may also be convened at the request or with the consent of at least two thirds of the member countries of the UPU. The UPU has held three Extraordinary Congresses to date: one in 1900 in Berne, Switzerland; one in 2018 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and one in 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Recognizing the need to cope with rapid changes in the postal environment and considering the potential growth opportunities offered by a more inclusive sector, the 27th Universal Postal Congress decided to hold a fourth Extraordinary Congress in 2023 to examine proposals associated with the further opening up of the Union to wider postal sector players, as well as other urgent postal sector issues. 

The fourth Extraordinary Congress will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 1 to 5 October. More information about the Extraordinary Congress will be published here as soon as it becomes available.

The 2023 Extraordinary 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. 

The 28th Universal Postal Congress will be held in 2025 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. More information on the organization of the Congress will follow shortly.