Tanzania Elected Vice Chair of 25th UPU Congress

Tanzania has been elected Vice Chair of The 25th UPU Congress on the first day of the meeting, which was officially opened in Doha, Qatar, by HH The Deputy Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Heir Apparent, on Monday 24th September 2012.

The UPU Congress gathers postal leaders and stakeholders from the UPU’s 192 member coun

tries to decide on the global postal sector’s future every four years. Prof. John S. Nkoma was approved to take on the responsibilities of Vice Chairperson, with three others from Estonia, Italy and Dominican Republic.

Abdul Rahman Ali Al-Aqaily, chairman of the General Postal Corporation of Qatar, was also officially designated as the 25th UPU Congress Chairman.

During the opening plenary, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recognized the role of the global postal network in social and economic development in a message to Congress.

“Postal services are universal. They connect people throughout the world,” he said though a message read in the meeting. The UPU is a specialized agency of the United Nations for postal services.

Held under the theme “New world, new strategy”, the 25th Universal Postal Congress hopes to adopt the Doha Postal Strategy, the UPU’s strategic document for the future of the Postal Sector worldwide.

It underlines the postal network’s three dimensions – physical, electronic and financial – as well as interconnection, governance and development as key axes to strengthen postal services worldwide.

Over the next three weeks, more than 2,200 registered delegates will examine many proposals to modify the rules and regulations governing the exchange of international mail as well as major documents recommending the way forward in areas such as postal financial services, quality of service, postal security, e-commerce and trade facilitation.

"A number of crises have characterized the last four years, bringing new, unprecedented challenges for the postal sector and the UPU," said Edouard Dayan, director general of the Universal Postal Union, during the opening plenary session. “These new realities have known no borders and have extended to all postal operators worldwide, regardless of their level of development" he added.

"The Congress that opens today must champion the values of our organization: universality, solidarity and communication among peoples,” Dayan said. He reminded delegates that the Congress embraces the values of the postal community, but also heralds the future, that of a modernized, efficient and solid organization, and of global postal services at the heart of the economy, trade and the information society.

Tanzania Delegation to the 25th UPU Congress comprises of Prof. John S. Nkoma, The Director General of TCRA, Mrs. Rehema Makuburi, TCRA Director of Postal Affairs, her Deputy, Mr. Haruni Lemanya and Mr. Innocent Mungy, TCRA Manager Corporate Communication. others are Mr. Elia Madulesi and Ms. Fadya Zam of Tanzania Postal Corporations.

The Head of Delegations Hon. Minister for Communications, Science and Technology, Prof Makame Mbarawa (MP) is expected here in Doha on the 5th of October for the High Level Meetings for Ministers. Prof. John Nkoma is leading the advance part of the delegation.