UPU member countries attending the 28th Universal Postal Congress voted to allow the State of Palestine additional rights to participate in UPU decision-making processes as an observer.
Passed with the support of 107 UPU member countries – with three countries voting against the proposal’s adoption and 29 abstentions – the resolution instructs the UPU’s decision-making bodies to allow the State of Palestine the following additional modalities for participation:-
The right to be seated in alphabetical order among UPU member countries;
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The right to raise points of order and procedural motions, excepting the right to challenge decisions of the chair;
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The right to be included on the list of speakers for agenda items other than Palestinian and Middle East issues;
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The right to make statements on behalf of a group of member countries;
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The right to explain, orally or in writing, proposals submitted by member countries;
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The right to co-sponsor proposals and amendments from member countries as a supporting observer;
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The right to make explanations of votes on behalf of a group of member countries;
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The right of reply regarding the positions of a group of member countries;
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The right to propose and request the inclusion of items on the provisional agenda of UPU bodies; and
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The right for the flag of the State of Palestine to be raised at UPU headquarters and (as the case may be) other offices of the organization after the flags of member countries.
The resolution was accompanied by associated proposals to amend the rules of procedure of the UPU’s Congresses. Those amendments were adopted with the approval of 102 member countries, with four votes against the amendments and 27 abstentions.
“We believe this resolution will, first of all, enable us to provide good quality postal services to our citizens. Secondly, it will help us uphold the dignity of Palestinian citizens as we will be able to raise our flag in another UN agency, at the UPU,” said Huda AlWahidi, Vice Minister of Ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Economy of the State of Palestine.
The State of Palestine was originally granted observer status within the UPU during the organization’s 1999 Universal Postal Congress (Congress Resolution C 115/Beijing 1999). This decision gave the State of Palestine rights to directly exchange postal services with other UPU member countries and the right to participate in all UPU conferences and bodies, including general debate, with the limitation that points of order raised by Palestine and its co-sponsorship of draft resolutions should concern only Palestine and the Middle East. The delegation was also to be seated immediately following the last UPU member country.
As an observer, the State of Palestine does not have the right to vote in UPU bodies.