African postal services meet amid changing landscape
The 33rd session of the Pan African Postal Union (Papu) took place in Lilongwe yesterday, with the gathering of postal services providers hoping to help the continent’s postal services adjust to a fast changing landscape and providing new realities.
Addressing the press yesterday ahead of the opening plenary, Papu general secretary Younouss Djibrine said despite several challenges facing African postal services, there are numerous success stories the continent can be proud of plus opportunities that can further spur economic development.
He said African postal services should now utilise its wide-reaching network and infrastructure to enable the continent herald a financial boom that will not exclude the continent’s poor who mostly live in remote poor areas out of reach of the main financial sector.
He further applauded Malawi, which is yet to get a seat on the Papu administrative council, for accepting to host the summit.
“We are happy with the cordial welcome we have received from the government and people of Malawi. The facilities are excellent and the fact that Malawi has been able to host the session on a date so close to the elections is a testimony of the country’s growth as a democracy. Most countries struggle for a long time with post-election violence and instability but our presence here is an indictment of the maturity of Malawi’s democracy,” added Djibrine.
The session will attract at least 200 delegates, according to organizers including the director general of the Universal Postal Operators Association (Sapoa), government regulators, other global regional bodies, airlines and other players.
Chairperson of the Organising Committee and Macra director for Postal Services Lisa Msusa said the session will discuss quality improvement, E-services, Postal reforms, strategy and administrative matters.
“The meeting will also look at issues to do with harmonisation of operational procedures, regulations, policies including embracing of ICT as a tool for modernisation as well as introduction of new services to be in sync with the current dynamic business environment,” said Msusa.
Papu is a specialised agency of the African Union responsible for development of postal services on the continent and the session will last seven days to be held at the Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC).
