26.09.2019 - Closing the third Extraordinary Congress today, the Secretary General of the Universal Postal Union Bishar A. Hussein congratulated around 800 representatives from over 130 countries for reaching an agreement on postal remuneration rates.
(Photo: Sophia Bennett)
“Option V stands for victory, but it is your victory,” Mr Hussein informed member countries in a speech at the closing session of the third Extraordinary Congress. “You came together, and you showed a sense of responsibility and you proved this Union is resilient.”
Mr Hussein told the Congress that no challenge was too big or too high if we put our minds to it. He thanked member countries for solving a problem that just a few months ago looked insurmountable.
In a second address to participants, Mr Hussein thanked the Swiss government for their invaluable support of the Extraordinary Congress. He told participants, “You have taken a big burden off my shoulders.”
Throughout the last day’s sessions, held to approve changes to the UPU Convention agreed as part of the 25 September agreement, a succession of member countries congratulated the UPU on finding a solution to the complex issue of postal remuneration rates.
In his own statement, the Assistant Secretary General of the UPU Pascal Clivaz said, “We are a family and we proved that yesterday. Together we have proved the value of multilateralism.”
The agreement approved by acclamation by member countries on 25 September sees the UPU accelerate rate increases to the system for remunerating the delivery of inbound international bulky letters and small packets. Self-declared rates are to be phased in starting as soon as 2020.
Under the agreed solution, member countries that meet certain requirements – including inbound letter-post volumes in excess of 75,000 metric tonnes – would be able to opt-in to self-declare their rates starting 1 July 2020. Thresholds are included to protect low-volume, developing countries from the impact of the swift reform.
Chairman of the third Extraordinary Congress, and the Director General of Turkish Post, Kenan Bozgeyik thanked the UPU for its tremendous work in organizing the Extraordinary Congress. He was applauded by representatives for his successful chairing of the three-day meeting.
The world's postal decision-makers will gather to shape the future of the global postal sector at the 27th Universal Postal Congress, scheduled to take place in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, in 2020.
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