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 2020 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 2021. 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.
The 27th Universal Postal Congress was scheduled to take place in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from 10 to 28 August 2020. Due to the global spread of COVID-19, the UPU and the Government of Côte d'Ivoire have decided to postpone the Congress. New dates will be proposed once it is felt that the event can be held safely.
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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/.
UPU Ministerial Conferences represent a one-of-a-kind opportunity to gather postal policy-makers to discuss the sector’s future.
The first ever Ministerial Conference was held during the Doha Congress in 2012. It brought together ministers and vice-ministers in charge of the Post, as well as other high-level speakers, including Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of the Netherlands, United Nations Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development, and the ITU Secretary General, to discuss the strategic issues facing the postal sector today and its evolving role in communication and as a motor of trade facilitation and socioeconomic development.
In 2016, leaders attending the second Ministerial Conference in Istanbul focused on how Posts could better serve their nations and citizens, help grow the economy and drive development.
The UPU also held a special Ministerial Strategy Conference during the 2018 Extraordinary Congress in Addis Ababa. During this conference, government ministers and other senior decision-makers considered the best policies, investments, regulations and partnerships to ensure that the Post could unleash its potential in service delivery and profitability.