UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION (UPU) CALL FOR REFORMS IN POSTAL SECTOR

Tanzania Delegation to the UPU CA, Dr. Ali Yahaya Simba, TCRA Director General (second from left), Mrs. Rehema Makuburi, Director Postal Affairs TCRA, Ag. Poster master general and Deputy Director Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology 

                                        By Innocent Mungy, Switzerland

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) Conference on Postal Regulation, has called upon member countries to improve the development of Postal sector through postal reforms. 

Governments, postal sector regulators and operators attended the Meeting in Bern and debated the future of the postal services in a theme “Changing environment and changing regulatory needs – new approaches to postal regulation”. Tanzania was represented in the Conference with Postal Stakeholders, including the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, Tanzania Postal Corporation and Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority. 

The conference was aimed at providing UPU member countries with a good opportunity to share their views and experiences on current regulatory issues related to postal services and the postal sector. The major conclusions of the Postal Regulation Conference included the need to improve the development of the postal sector through postal reform and regulation as a boost to economic and social cohesion in member countries of the UPU.

 Meanwhile, The UPU Council of Administration (CA) approved the Program and Budget   for 2016 and External Auditors report on the UPU financial statements for 2014 that were fully compliant with IPSA standards. The Council of Administration further endorsed the second draft of the Istanbul World Postal Strategy (IWPS) that indicated  all five regions of the UPU member’s independently decided to strengthen operational efficiency and e-commerce as there level one priority activities and  Financial services and Postal sector development as level two priorities . 

These priorities will be included in the regional development plan and project formulated for each region for 2017 t0 2020, Tanzania falls under the Africa region hence the postal sector is expected to implement the level one and two priorities activities. The third draft will be presented to the joint Council of Administration and Postal Operations Council in February 2016 for endorsement and later submitted as resolution for adoption by the Plenipotentiary Conference during the World Postal Congress to be convened in September 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey as the Istanbul World Postal Strategy for 2017 to 2020.

The Director General of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority, Dr. Ally Y. Simba, led Tanzania delegation to the session of the Council of Administration of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). 

The Council of Administration (CA) consists of 41 member countries and meets annually at UPU headquarters in Berne, Switzerland. 

The Council ensures the continuity of the UPU's work between Congresses, supervises its activities and studies regulatory, administrative, legislative and legal issues. Tanzania is a member of the UPU since independence as well as a member of the Council of Administration for seven years since 2008. 

In a separate occasion, the Director General TCRA met the Director General of the Universal Postal Union, Ambassador Bishar A. Hussein where they discussed on how Tanzania and the UPU may healthy strengthen cooperation. Dr. Ally Simba informed his host that Tanzania will continue to honor all obligations in terms of member contributions to the Union as well as implementing the decisions of the UPU organs and will actively participate in the activities of the Union. 

In his remarks, The UPU chief, Ambassador Hussein, assured the Director General of his aspiration and commitment to extend more technical assistance to Tanzania that will assist the improvement of the postal sector.