The UPU will roll out special development projects in the South Pacific after the Director General’s visit to five countries in the region earlier this year revealed common challenges among small island developing states (SIDS).
UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein participated in a series of high-level meetings with heads of state, ministers and postal CEOs during his mission to the South Pacific islands, which included stops in the Solomon Islands, Nauru, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga.
At meetings with the Prime Ministers of the Solomon Islands, Samoa and Tonga, and the President of Nauru, the Director General briefed the leaders on important global issues the UPU is working to address. They also discussed ongoing UPU projects in the Pacific and ways of enhancing UPU cooperation with member countries in the region.
These discussions highlighted some common challenges among the countries and helped identify areas in which the UPU’s expertise would be helpful, such as e-commerce development, diversification of the postal business portfolio, development of international remittances and capacity-building for postal staff.
As a result, the UPU’s Development and Cooperation Directorate will begin work on a special regional project for Pacific island countries with a special focus on human resource development and capacity-building.
Development underway
The Director General also had the opportunity to participate in several development activities taking place during his visit.
In Samoa, Mr Hussein had the pleasure of delivering the keys to three vehicles acquired through the UPU’s Quality of Service Fund (QSF) to Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Afamasaga Lepuiai Rico Tupai.
The Director General was also present in Nauru for the launch of the country’s very first postcode, NRU68; “NRU” representing the name of the country and “68” representing the year of its independence, 1968.
To mark the Director General’s visit and the launch of the postcode, the Post released special philatelic items, including a first day cover featuring a photo of the Director General and Nauru’s President Baron Waqa during the launch ceremony, a stamp featuring the Director General’s photo, and a commemorative cancellation mark.
A version of this article appears in the Spring 2019 edition of Union Postale magazine. Subscribe now.