The UPU Ministerial Conference – the highlight of the second day of the 27th Universal Postal Congress in Abidjan – brought together ministers, heads of postal regulators, and other high-level officials leading the international postal sector. Throughout the one-day conference, discussions of partnerships and sustainability took centre stage.
The conference, titled, “COVID-19 and the postal sector – what has and hasn’t changed, and what needs to change,” focused on the global pandemic that has irreversibly changed the socioeconomic landscape. COVID-19 has also altered the postal sector almost beyond recognition, leading to suspension of transportation, lockdowns and shortages of staff and protective equipment. These persistent realities have obscured borders leading to calls for a sharing of global expertise and lessons learned.Opening the Conference, the UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein stressed the timeliness of the discussion – at the ministerial level – and the need to build “a more sustainable and prosperous future for the postal business.” He encouraged postal regulators to “create more interest in the UPU” and to be more present in UPU’s forums.
The high-level discussion started with a stocktaking of the drastic changes and challenges imposed by the pandemic and the creative solutions stemming from this unparalleled global crisis. In their insightful interventions, representatives from the UK, the People’s Republic of China, Japan, Mauritius and Trinidad and Tobago consistently touched upon the exponential growth of online shopping and e-commerce, the uplift in parcel volumes, and the growing demand for contactless delivery.
As unanimously agreed by all speakers, Posts rose to these challenges with remarkable resilience, providing a robust lifeline of social and economic services to people around the world.
However, when normal life, work and business stopped for many, global problems like climate change, demographic shifts, accelerated digitalization and cybercrime did not cease to exist. As part of the second panel, “What has not changed over the past two years,” speakers from Belgium, Russia and the Intergovernmental Organization for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) stressed that collaborative, innovative and technology-based solutions are the only way to build back better and greener.
Not all transformations should be seized ; some trends need to be reversed for Posts to remain relevant, competitive and an ever-reliable partner for consumers for inclusive and high-quality communications and delivery services. The third panel “What needs to change?”, with the participation of Brazil, Indonesia and the World Customs Organization, shed light on the remaining digital and capacity gaps, and the need for revitalized cross-sector partnerships. As the era of operating alone is over, agile and proactive collaborations between public and private sectors, DOs and customs, international and national institutions become synonymous with sustainable recovery.
To conclude the day, key takeaways for UN agencies and the UPU took central stage. Singapore, Switzerland and Tanzania, took the floor. Representatives called on international actors to intensify their technical and coordination support to developing countries, as well as to continue providing the sector with an inclusive forum and knowledge-sharing platform. All of these are key elements underpinning the new Abidjan Postal Strategy (2021-2025) to be discussed at the 27th Universal Postal Congress.
In its role as the UN specialized agency for postal matters, the UPU mobilizes the postal sector for the achievement of our common Sustainable Development Agenda, while building trust and leaving no one behind.
As was recognized by many speakers, it is only with such commitments on behalf of postal leaders, that Posts will be ready to act as key economic players. Players who are in the vanguard of the transformed post-pandemic world that we are presently experiencing.
Speaking at the closing, the UPU Deputy Director General Pascal Clivaz said, “The trends we have already seen have been accelerated by COVID-19, including the need for digitalization and connectivity. These trends have reinforced the switch from letters to parcels and logistics, and has blurred the postal sector’s boundaries.”
The UPU Ministerial Conference 2021, which was broadcast on UPU TV, received 3,000 connections in 172 countries.