Speech by UPU Deputy Director General Pascal Clivaz at the PUASP Consultative and Executive Council meeting in Asunción, Paraguay, 19 November 2018.
Senor Director Nacional de Correos de Paraguay
Luis Fernando Servin
Sr Secretario General de la UPAEP
Sr Roberto Cavanna
Sres Directores de Correos,
Colegas postales,
Es un gran placer para mi estar en esta ciudad de Asunción, para el inicio de las actividades de la reunión anual del Consejo Consultivo y Ejecutivo de la UPAEP. Primero que nada quiero extender los saludos del Director General de la UPU Sr Bishar Hussein, quien a último momento por razones de urgencia no ha podido acompañarlos como era su deseo.
Este es un evento importante ya que se realiza unos meses después del Segundo Congreso Extraordinario y de las reuniones de octubre de los Consejos de la UPU.
I will continue in English. At the Extraordinary Congress, one driven by the cooperation and consensus of our member countries, there was agreement on a landmark decision to reduce the financial contribution payable by Small Island Developing States to the UPU.
From this decision, the SIDS will now be able to participate fully in all Union activities without the big financial burden that put most of these members under sanction.
One other notable outcome of the Addis Ababa Congress was the approval of the Reform of the Union proposal.
After 40 years of discussions, we now have an agreement on reforming the UPU.
This decision will increase our efficiency and streamline the coordination between the Postal Operations Council and the Council of Administration.
The reform will also simplify the election process, and ensure enhanced representation of all regions in the decision-making structures of the Union.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Even though the Congress decided to carry over discussions on reforming the contribution system applied to member countries until 2020, significant strides were achieved.
I call upon your support to help find solutions for a stable funding structure for the Union.
On the stabilizing of the UPU provident scheme, the Congress reached a decision to reduce the guarantee threshold from 85 percent to 80 percent, which will cushion and help our negotiations with UNJSPF.
I do hope that with your support we will also find a solution to this matter.
The discussion on the IPP-IRP demonstrated the willingness to compromise and to build consensus among our members.
The Congress adopted an implementation roadmap for the IPP that will include developing proposals on the tracked service for submission to the 2020 Congress.
The Taskforce on this subject has agreed to fast-track their deliberations with a view to achieving consensus by the next Council meetings in April.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you know on 17 October, the government of the United States of America regrettably announced its intention to withdraw from the Union unless there is an agreement on a revised terminal dues policy.
I want you to know that we have listened to our American colleagues—one of UPU’s founding fathers—and we are doing everything possible to reach a new agreement that is satisfactory to all our member countries.
It is for this reason that the Taskforce working on the subject has agreed to move fast and finalize their work before the Council of Administration at its April 2019 session.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
PUASP is one of UPU’s key partners and an essential contributor to development and cooperation projects that are changing the face of this region’s network of postal sectors.
This brings me to the reason why I am so pleased to be able to address you today.
I wanted to talk about e-commerce growth in the region and how the success of postal operators in this dynamic and pivotal market can be supported by UPU.
I am also pleased to tell you that, already, 16 countries are taking part in our Operational Readiness for E-Commerce—known as ORE.
There is a need for this work. The majority of the region's designated operators still only have a market share of less than 20 percent.
We are keen to partner with both PUASP and postal operators to increase the market share.
As the leading body promoting regional training centres, including one at PUASP’s headquarters in Montevideo, UPU would like to undertake joint training activities to benefit the region and to reduce costs for both our organizations.
We are also taking new approaches to our training and encouraging active participation through greater interaction at workshops.
UPU is also developing plans and roadmaps delivered through regional project managers, as well as facilitators who are able to undertake the necessary follow-up to improve the projects.
Under the ORE project banner, we have carried out 3 workshops; launched one workshop with the participation of the Director General, followed up on QSF training linked to ORE objectives, and followed through on a joint WCO-UPU training.
Audits are being completed to identify where improvements are needed regarding opportunities for postal operations; supply chain and relations with key partners—although this is mainly for customs and for airlines.
As just one example, reviews were carried out between October 2017 and November 2018 in Chile; Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Paraguay, and Peru.
There were also four site missions to support and enhance Correogiros conducted between March and November 2018.
ORE, Postal Reform, Postal Financial Services, E-services & Digital transformation are all, therefore, progressing under the umbrella of the Regional Development Plan.
As a global organization, UPU will also continue to share input on current trends, success stories in the international postal sector so that they can inform work carried out here in the region on e-commerce, products, services, and operations.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This is only a brief snapshot of our work in the Americas, but it serves to show not just UPU’s firm commitment to our member countries in the region, but also the need to assist designated operators, so they can flourish in this dynamic e-commerce environment.
In 2019, we will have an even more ambitious agenda with a series of workshops on postal reform, financial inclusion, innovation and electronic services for the region.
We are also preparing Regional Strategy Conferences allowing countries to share experiences and knowledge and to develop farsighted strategies. All the countries will be the architect of the new Strategy for the next cycle.
Finalmente, quiero agradecer por la invitación, estoy muy contento de estar aquí al borde del lago Ipacarai, y disfrutar de la hospitalidad de los paraguayos, gracias al Director Nacional y todo su equipo y gracias a la UPAEP, a su secretario General y a todo su equipo, estaremos junto a ustedes, para colaborar en el desarrollo de los programas regionales. Todo el equipo de la UPU, estamos a su disposición.
Que tengan una excelente reunión.