UPU News : 2014 International letter-writing competition for young people

THE THEME SELECTED FOR THE 2014 COMPETITION IS: "WRITE A LETTER DESCRIBING HOW MUSIC CAN TOUCH LIVES."

The best letter from each country must be submitted to the International Bureau no later than 30 April 2014.

Rules

Participation : 

• Young people up to the age of 15 years may take part in the competition.
• The UPU International Bureau (IB) cannot accept entries sent directly by schools or private individuals.
• The organizers designated by member countries must respect the competition's organizational principles, which specify that they are solely responsible for organizing the national stage of the competition and therefore must provide all the parties concerned with their own contact details and not those of the IB.
• The organizers should select their country's best composition (one composition per country or territory only) and send it to the IB no later than 30 April.

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

All entries must be submitted by post, by e-mail or by fax to: +41 31 350 37 11.

ALL ENTRIES MUST INCLUDE:

• the composition (typed) in either Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish. If the original is handwritten, the organizer should type up the text on a computer and submit the original with a translation into English, French or Spanish (as preferred) of the original composition if it has been written in a language other than those mentioned above.
• a cover letter from the organizing body.
• a duly completed entry form, including the contact details of the candidate and the national competition coordinator; this form is available opposite to download.
• a good quality digital photograph of the candidate, preferably in JPEG format (at least 300 dpi).

PRESENTATION AND CONTENT OF ENTRIES

• The compositions submitted must be recent, unpublished letters.
• Compositions must be presented in the form of a letter ("Dear ……..", include the address of both the addressee and the sender, and end with a signature).
• Entries must strictly respect the set theme.
• Entries must strictly adhere to the number of words permitted in the original language (between 500 and 800).

ORGANIZATIONAL PRINCIPLES

Each member country organizes a letter-writing competition for young people in its territory as suits it best, but preferably with the help of the national education authorities, and selects the best entry. The best entry is chosen in accordance with the general rules of the competition.

Participating member countries must send their best entry to the IB, together with all the required documents, to the IB by no later than 30 April.

JURY'S DECISION AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS

The IB will designate a jury responsible for assessing the letters selected. This jury will choose the best three entries, the authors of which will each receive a medal, and may also select up to five other entries, whose authors will receive a special mention.
The IB will inform the countries concerned of the results by letter.

PRIZES

The first three international winners will receive medals (gold for the first, silver for the second and bronze for the third) struck by the IB, as well as a certificate and other prizes offered by the UPU.
Member countries may also award additional prizes to their international prize-winners, at their discretion.
It is recommended that the prize-giving ceremonies be held on 9 October, the anniversary of the foundation of the UPU, to form part of the activities connected with World Post Day.

RESULTS

The IB will communicate the names of the prize-winners by letter as soon as it receives the results from the jury, in principle no later than early September of the competition year.

Entry form

(One copy of this form must be completed and submitted with all entries.)

Please send the following documents to gisele.coron@upu.int:

–           a copy of the composition (produced on a computer) in one of the following languages: Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish. If the original is handwritten, the competition organizer is requested to reproduce the text on a computer;

–           a covering letter from the organizing body;

–           a translation into English, Spanish or French (as preferred) of the original composition, if it has been written in a language other than Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish;

–           the completed entry form;

–           a good quality digital photograph of the candidate, preferably in JPEG format (300 dpi minimum).

In addition to your entry submission by e-mail, we would appreciate your sending all original documentation by post. Member countries that prefer to send their entries by post only should attach a good quality photo­graph of the author (please do not use a staple or any other method that may spoil the photograph).

Submission of this entry form by the national organizing body constitutes acceptance of the Rules of the 2014 International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People, as well as the specific terms and conditions related to submission of compositions and image rights presented in Section 4 below.

1        Information about the country

Name of country:  ________________________________________

Number of schools that participated in the national competition: ______________

Number of entries received:  _________________________________

2        Details of the national organizing body

Name of organizing body (ministry, designated operator, etc.): __________________

Given name and family name of contact person: ____________________________        

Telephone number of contact person:  __________________________________

E-mail address of contact person: ______________________________________________

3        Details of the candidate

q Girl                     q Boy

Given name:_________________________________________________________________

Family name: _____________________________________________________________

Date of birth: ______________________________________________________

Address:___________________________________________________________________________________________

Name and address of the school: 

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Number of words in the candidate's composition (please note that this must not exceed 800 words):___________________________________________________________________________________________

Original language of the composition: _____________________________________

Languages spoken by the candidate: _________________________________

4          Specific terms and conditions related to submission of compositions and image rights

The organizing body hereby acknowledges and agrees that the UPU and any of its partners shall be granted a gratuitous, worldwide, unlimited and perpetual licence to copy, edit, distribute, display, make available, pub­lish and reproduce the composition as submitted to the UPU International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People, including the rights to incorporate the composition into UPU publications; to translate the composition (or any parts thereof) into other languages; and to create adaptations, compilations, summaries, extracts or other derivative works of the composition. The above rights may be exercised by the UPU in any media and formats now known or hereafter devised, and shall include the right to make such modifications as deemed technically necessary to due exercise of the above rights by the UPU.

Furthermore, by participating in the UPU International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People, the organizing body hereby grants the UPU and any of its partners a gratuitous, worldwide and perpetual licence to copy, edit, display, publish and make available the name of the organizing body, as well as any photographs and/or any video footage of the organizing body (including its representatives) taken in connection with the competition or the composition in any format.

The organizing body also warrants that the composition submitted to the UPU International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People shall constitute an original effort of the candidate, that such a compartmentalization the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and that it shall not infringe any third party rights, including without limitation the right to privacy.

In light of the above, the organizing body hereby certifies that the terms and conditions applicable to its national competition shall comprise, by analogy andmutatis mutandis, the specific provisions presented in this Section, and that candidates participating in its national competition shall agree to be bound by terms and conditions equivalent to those presented herein for submission of compositions and image rights.

Communication supports

FOR ORGANIZERS OF THE CONTEST AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

The UPU provides a poster to help you promote the contest among young people in your country.

The 2014 poster can be placed in post offices, schools or other public spaces.

In the poster, spaces enable national organizers to include information specific to them (contacts, national prizes, etc.) and the logo of participating entities (for example, the Post, the ministry of education or others, as required).

To obtain the downloadable InDesign or jpeg files of the poster, please contact the UPU Communications Programme.

FOR TEACHERS

To take part in the letter-writing contest, please familiarize yourself with the contest rules and contact the Post of your country (department of international relations) to enquire about your country’s participation in the international competition.

Source : http://www.upu.int/

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UPU News:- Mandela’s Global Stamp

As world leaders including United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon gather on 10-12/2013 in Johannesburg for Nelson Mandela's memorial service, the Universal Postal Union pays tribute to Madiba with this visual presentation of stamps issued in his honour over the years.

UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein joins the UN family to convey the organization’s condolences to Mr Mandela’s family and the people of South Africa.

“The tremendous sacrifices he made for his ideals will remain forever etched in our memories and inspire us all to work for a better world,” said Hussein in his letter to South African President Jacob Zuma.

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43rd UPU Letter Writing Competition 2014... Sunday, 5th January 2014.

To view please Click Here

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UPU and CEPT agree to work together

25.04.2013 - THE EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF POSTAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ADMINISTRATIONS (CEPT) AND THE UPU HAVE AGREED TO WORK TOGETHER ON ISSUES OF TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND SHARE MORE INFORMATION ON REGULATORY ISSUES.

Ulrich Dammann, co-president of CEPT, a European intergovernmental organization and restricted union of the UPU, and Bishar A. Hussein, director general of the UPU, signed a memorandum of understanding to this effect at UPU headquarters on 25 April 2013.

CEPT already participates in the UPU’s work, particularly through its European Committee for Postal Regulation (CERP). It has supported the joint implementation of UPU regional development plans and provided expertise in seminars for regulators in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

The MOU establishes a cooperation framework between the two parties in areas of common interest, such as the universal postal service obligation and postal regulation and policy.

CEPT and the UPU will promote and exchange best practices among countries and restricted unions. They will cooperate in specialized studies and on projects within their respective fields.

While solutions can differ, regulatory issues are often the same in various parts of the world, says Dammann. That includes getting rid of inefficient structures that hinder postal development, setting up an independent regulator to oversee the market and ensuring that the postal operator has the right tools to increase its ability to finance itself.

“European regulators are eager to share their experience and help countries from having to reinvent the wheel,” says Dammann. “Our goal is to give a better service to the public using competitive and legal bases.”

Source :  http://news.upu.int

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Calling for applications for Coordinator, Standards and Operations in the Universal Postal Union International Bureau, Berne

To view details, please CLICK HERE. 

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UPU News: Youth asked to write about why water is precious

As the world marks World Water Day, the UPU is urging youth to think about water’s role on this planet as part of the 42nd edition of its global competition.

42 years and counting... the UPU letter-writing competition began in 1971.

This year the competition asks young people up to age 15 to write a letter about why water is precious. Up to 60 UPU member countries and an estimated 1.5 to 2 million youth normally participate in the competition annually.

“Coming from Africa, I fully appreciate the importance of water for our planet and the social and economic implications this resource can have in countries and the world,” says UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein, who hails from Kenya. “We are delighted that our competition is focusing attention on a very relevant global issue among millions of people around the world, and we’re looking forward to reading about young people’s perspective on the matter.”

Participating member countries are currently holding the competition at the national level. They have until 30 April 2013 to submit the letter that will represent them at the international level. International finalists will vie for the UPU’s gold, silver or bronze medals.

This year, the compositions will be judged by a jury of experts including Ivan Draganic, water programme specialist at the United Nations Development Programme Office in Geneva, Stefanie Neno, communications manager at UN-Water, Adrián Puigarnau, programme manager at the Stockholm International Water Institute, and Ryan Rowe, communications officer at The Water Institute of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Winners are expected to be announced in August 2013.

Access to water

The 2013 competition theme was chosen to coincide with the International Year of Water Cooperation and the International Decade for Action “Water for Life” 2005-2015. Access to water ensures the health and well-being of humans and protects nature. According to the United Nations, the world has achieved the Millennium Development Goal of halving the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water. Despite this, 11% of the world population still does not have access to safe drinking water.

Since 1971, millions of young people all over the world have participated in the competition at national and international levels. The competition aims to make young people aware of the role postal services play in our societies, develop their skills in composition and the ability to express their thoughts clearly, and foster their enjoyment of letter writing.

Courtesy : http://ipasporissa.blogspot.in/

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UPU News :GHG Inventory

The UPU is stepping up its efforts to make the postal sector more environmentally friendly. In response to mandates from the last two Congresses, the UPU has established an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from postal activities. This inventory aims to measure and reduce the industry's negative environmental impact.

In cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme, the UPU has so far produced three such inventories, according to which Posts emit at least 56.5 million tonnes of CO2 each year.

 To view details , please click here.

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UPU to work on return of goods bought online

23.01.2013 - The Universal Postal Union has said it is working on a new international return service to help customers looking to send back unwanted goods purchased through foreign websites . E-commerce continues to be a boon for postal services, boosting mail volumes. And while it booms, the UPU is working on an international return service for customers to easily send back unwanted merchandise bought online.   On the back of a UPU Congress decision adopted in 2012, the work will include developing a transparent accounting mechanism to ensure reasonable regional air conveyance costs, defining rates to cover a destination Post’s collection costs and coordinating the new service with customs officials to ensure smooth handling of return merchandise at borders. “This service is often available domestically, but needs to be developed at the international level. It is an essential service to have for fostering cross-border e-commerce and allowing Posts to grow their business in this market,” says Christine Bétrémieux, who manages the parcels and logistics programme at the UPU. Joost Magielsen, from PostNL, the Dutch designated operator, leads the UPU’s return-service working group. He says having the new optional service ready by January 1, 2014, when the updated UPU Convention and regulations come into effect, will be challenging. But he hopes the UPU can piggy-back on existing systems and developments to move forward quickly. “The new service has to meet several international challenges, such as affordability, traceability and priority processing,” he says. The UPU will work with other postal entities already operating or exploring return solutions to save on development and maintenance costs, as well as to reduce the ‘time to market’ for the new service, adds Magielsen. Traffic of international parcels reached 58 million items in 2011, according to UPU statistics. Since 2006, this business segment has experienced annual growth of 5.3 per cent and it is expected to continue to increase. The Interactive Media in Retail Group predicts that total business-to-consumer e-commerce sales will pass the trillion-euro mark in 2013   www.upu.int

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Universal Postal Union (UPU) : Mail for Syria can get through via Amman

25.01.2013 - The Syrian Post has asked the Universal Postal Union to inform all member countries to route international mail destined for Syria via Amman, the Jordanian capital.

Syrian Post received 1.6 million letters and 30,000 express items and parcels from abroad in 2011.

The Syrian Post will use trucks to retrieve mails that arrive in Amman, some 175 kilometers from Damascus, and bring it back for processing and delivery. Outgoing international mail from Syria already transits through Amman.

The United Nations specialized agency for postal services welcomed the arrangement by the Syrian and Jordanian postal authorities and handling services at Amman International Airport to ensure that mail gets through despite the ongoing situation.

“This measure will make sending international mail to Syria more fluid and regular,” said Abdellatif Meskine, manager of the Arab programme at the UPU.

This will provide relief to countries that were finding it difficult to send international mail directly to Syria as a result of the suspension of many flights to Damascus, he added.

A message sent yesterday by the UPU to all its member countries says that it is now possible to route dispatches destined for Syria via Amman Airport, “in cases where a lack of suitable flights makes air transport impossible.”

In 2011, Syria received 1.6 million international letter-post items a year from abroad, as well as 53,000 registered items, 22,000 express mail items and 8,500 parcels, according to UPU figures.

Information on 2012 mail volumes is not yet available. According to Syrian postal authorities, postal services continue to be provided nationally.

The Syrian Post manages some 600 post offices and employs more than 3,000 employees

Source: www.upu.int

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IFS : International Financial System application

The International Financial System application (IFS) is a standalone application, which takes care of the electronic transfer of international money orders. IFS uses electronic data interchange (EDI) to send international money order data electronically, using sophisticated data encryption techniques to ensure the integrity of the data sent over the postal network. IFS also helps Posts provide electronic domestic money order services.

IFS is a complete management tool that responds perfectly to the needs of Posts in the electronic transfer of money orders especially at a time when the money transfer market is becoming increasingly competitive.

Its Gross National Index (GNI) based costing structure and low transaction-tax enables a very fast return on investment. The goal of the IFS system is to provide postal enterprises with reliable, secure, and timely electronic financial services, which in turn allows Posts to be more competitive in the global marketplace. The IFS system not only handles all phases of international and domestic money processing but also provides advanced features that facilitate cash management and accounting.

IFS has a wide range of functions, including: Money order data collection, such as registration of any processing up to the final payment, reimbursement or cancellation of the transaction Tracking and tracing of individual transactions or groups of transactions Money order service monitoring and production of statistics Quality control measurements Bi-lateral agreement definition and automatic validation of transactions against the agreements Production of UPU standard international accounting documents

IFS also supports a variety of money order and fund transfer services, from ordinary cash-to-cash orders to urgent wired transfers. On the IFS network, any transfer of data is protected by strong software encryption techniques. Network members are part of a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) operated by the PTC. The IFS operational front-end is run as a Web application. This is specifically adapted for easy deployment over an Intranet or even over the Internet. It is possible to secure the protocol between the Web browser and the Application server. IFS can easily be interfaced with an existing application, such as a counter operations system. In addition, the system user interface can be localised into any language. The advantages of the International Financial System include: IFS can be used as a simple gateway for accessing the postal network or as a complete money order management tool IFS complies with all UPU regulations IFS is easy to deploy and staff training can be provided during the installation phase. In most cases, no additional hardware is required IFS is an end-to-end solution and can be used from the point of sale (at the origin) to the point of final payment (at the destination) IFS supports multiple international and domestic services and service definitions are free. Each network member is free to negotiate and configure the service conditions, rules and prices bilaterally with each of its partners IFS is scalable ensuring that the same software supports from very low to very high volumes of transactions IFS functions are constantly enhanced, based on requests from all network members IFS offers various options for connecting to the postal network, including leased line or dial-up over the Internet or using SITA lines www.upu.int

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Dayan: “We can never be effective if we act alone”

16.11.2012 - With a little over a month to go before he hands over to his successor, UPU Director General Edouard Dayan looks back on his eight years at the helm.

 

In a video interview just before Congress, Dayan reflects on the strides made in several areas, including quality of service, financial inclusion and electronic services.

In an effort to strengthen the postal network and promote its role in global issues such as financial inclusion and the fight against climate change, partnering with other United Nations organizations was a mantra of Dayan’s tenure.

As the head of a specialized agency of the United Nations, the UPU director general attends the meetings of the United Nations Chief Executives Board (CEB), chaired by the UN secretary-general.

Dayan attended his last CEB meeting last week and received praise from Ban Ki-moon for his dynamic leadership. “You have shown a strong commitment to strengthening the Union’s relations with the United Nations and international organizations,” said Ban. He also noted Dayan’s efforts to improve the quality of postal services worldwide, raise awareness of the importance of addresses, keep pace with technological progress and strengthen the postal sector’s role as a facilitator of trade and financial inclusion.

The UPU itself hosted a meeting of the CEB in 2008. “That meeting served as a symbol of my wish to strengthen ties between the UPU and the UN system, since we can never be effective if we act alone,” said Dayan, who valued the board as a “platform for exchange and coordination.”

Dayan and Deputy Director General Guozhong Huang step down at the end of 2012 to make way for Director General-elect Bishar A. Hussein from Kenya and Deputy Director General-elect Pascal Clivaz from Switzerland.

Source : http://news.upu.int

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Kenyan, Swiss elected to top UPU positions

10.10.2012 - The 25th Universal Postal Congress today elected Kenya’s Bishar A. Hussein as director general of the Universal Postal Union for 2013-2016.

 Bishar Hussein will take over in January 2013

Hussein is a former ambassador and postal executive, who served as chairman of the UPU’s Council of Administration from 2009-2012.

Member countries selected him over Uruguay’s Serrana Bassini Casco, currently secretary general of the Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal, a restricted union of the UPU based in Montevideo, Uruguay.

One hundred and fifty-nine countries out of the UPU’s 192 membership were eligible to vote. Of these, 87 supported Hussein, against 72 for Bassini Casco.

“I accept with humility the honour and privilege given to me today,” said Hussein, shortly after being elected. “Under my watch, the UPU will work to fulfill the mandates given to it by this Congress. We will take the UPU to the next level.”

Hussein looks back on a long career in postal matters, having spent 15 years working for the Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Corporation before being appointed the first Postmaster General of the Postal Corporation of Kenya when it split from KP&TC in 1999. He was then appointed Kenya’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates in 2002, a position he held for five years. He also chaired the 24th UPU Congress held in Geneva and became the chairman of the Council of Administration from 2009-2012.

As director general, he will run the day-to-day operations at the UPU’s International Bureau in Berne, Switzerland, represent the UPU at major international meetings, and act as secretary general during the annual meetings of the organization’s official bodies, the Council of Administration and the Postal Operations Council. He will also act as secretary general of the Universal Postal Congress, which convenes every four years.

Hussein will take over from current UPU Director General Edouard Dayan in January 2013. A French national, Dayan will retire at the end of this year after eight years at the helm.

Swiss wins deputy position

Pascal-Thierry Clivaz, from Switzerland, was also elected as UPU deputy director general, against Dennis Delehanty, from the United States of America.

“I am very honoured of the trust given to me by the 25^th UPU Congress,” he said after his election. “I look forward to pursuing reforms at the UPU and supporting the new director general in the initiatives that will be taken as the UPU faces various challenges.”

Clivaz has been director of finance and strategic planning at UPU headquarters in Berne since 2005. He is a former executive of the Swiss Post and was a Swiss delegate at the UPU before joining the organization in 2005.

He will take over from China’s Guozhong Huang, who finishes his second mandate in that position at the end of this year.

Source : news.upu.in

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Postal sector strong in face of change

09.10.2012 - The postal sector plays a decisive role in providing social and economic cohesion, confirmed ministers and other dignitaries at the UPU’s ministerial conference.

 Sachin Pilot, Indian minister for communications and information technology

A government can use the postal network to deliver services that a decade ago may have been impossible, said Sachin Pilot, the Indian minister for communications and information technology, at the UPU’s ministerial conference, held yesterday.

India has the world’s largest postal network with 155,000 post offices across the country, 95 per cent of which are in rural areas. More than 25 million Indians also live outside the country, sending back remittances that amounted to 64 billion USD last year, said Pilot. The Post plays a pivotal role in helping people transfer money from abroad to India. Technology is helping this become seamless, transparent and secure, he added.

While the challenges facing the developing world differ from those of industrialized nations, all countries are vulnerable to economic and technological changes. 

“Conditions and capacities are not the same everywhere,” Harsha Singh, deputy director general of the World Trade Organization said. It can be difficult to implement the most appropriate policies but building cooperative and interactive frameworks should be a key concept of postal services, he advised.

As for the sector’s sustainable growth, this required sustainable infrastructure. “The postal business matters,” said Philip Jennings, UNI Global’s general secretary, representing almost five million postal workers. The infrastructure should connect all citizens, all consumers, all businesses, Jennings added.

In the United States, the continuing shift of communication to the internet has had a serious impact on the finances of the postal industry, said Patrick Donahoe, the US Postal Service’s postmaster general. In the last 10 years, first class mail decreased by half - from 50 billion units to 25 billion – resulting in a loss of 11 billion USD. As mail volume falls, fewer postal employees and facilities are needed, “but the sole purposes of the postal service is to meet the needs of the customers” - an objective that has not changed, Donahoe said.

In China, the opposite trend can be seen. The Post is experiencing growth due to reforms and the introduction of competition, said Ma Junsheng, director general of the State Post Bureau. The market size has increased from 10 billion to 40 billion USD. “We need to establish a postal system adapted to national conditions,” Ma said. “One size does not fit all.”

Edouard Dayan, UPU director general, closed the ministerial meeting noting that the world has changed but the UPU is still playing its role at the vanguard. “The best technology must be available to member countries so that all nations may become protagonists in this revolution,” Dayan said.

Source : news.upu.in

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Trade facilitation hits higher heights

30.09.2012 - How Posts are facilitating international trade is under the spotlight at the 25th Universal Postal Congress.

On the back of Congress adopting a resolution urging governments to use the postal network to boost trade last week, the Universal Postal Union now has the mandate to help Posts bring simplified export processes to their business customers.

The resolution encourages all stakeholders to cooperate to help micro, small and medium-sized businesses to reach their potential as economic motors.

A trailblazer in this area is Brazil Post’s Exporta Fácil programme. It enabled 170 million USD worth of exports to leave the country in 2012 alone. The scheme is targeted primarily at small and medium-sized enterprises, helping to ship their products abroad quickly.

Since 2000, 1.8 billion USD worth of goods had been processed by Exporta Fácil, said Rose Mary Antunes, adviser at the Brazilian communications ministry. “More than 12 million businesses in Brazil have used the scheme. It is a very successful project, which can help boost local economies,” Antunes said, speaking in Doha, Qatar.

And the programme has been rolled out in Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay and Colombia, after being modified to suit local conditions, revealed Antunes. Argentina, Bolivia and Chile are in the process of adopting similar schemes. Serbia has implemented its own programme based on the Brazilian model. 

In Ecuador, the Post is looking back at a successful 11 months, according to its general manager, Roberto Cavanna. More than 5,000 export consignments valued at one million USD have taken place during that time. “The results are extraordinary and the government supports the project,” Cavanna revealed.

Now that the Congress resolution has been adopted, the UPU will embark on widening the reach of such activities. “At the UPU level, we have an obligation to act as a centre of excellence, to look at the best projects initiated by Posts and see how we can add value at the international level,” stated Alassane Guiro, UPU expert on market development.

In November 2011, the Brazilian government and the UPU signed an agreement to provide the Exporta Fácil methodology to all member countries. 

Source :  http://news.upu.int

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Posts facilitate financial inclusion

 Postal financial inclusion brings people excluded from the formal financial sector into a financial system using the postal network as a gateway. Either the Post offers its own financial services or partners with a financial institution to give access to such services.

With more than 600,000 post offices in the world, the postal presence in rural areas is unmatched by any other network. The UPU is building on that strength to help Posts provide rural citizens in developing countries with financial services such as postal savings accounts, government payments, loans and insurance, as well as a secure, reliable, efficient and affordable service for international and national electronic money orders. Offering such services to the unbanked can lead to poverty reduction and increased economic participation.

Several Posts are already key players in financial inclusion: the Postal Savings Bank of China has 475 million customers; Brazil’s Correios opened 11 million accounts in 10 years through a partnership with a bank; Namibia Post banks 20% of the country’s total population; India Post holds 240 million savings accounts and covers risks for more than 20 million people through its postal life insurance policy; Papua New Guinea Post offers a mobile wallet and is one of three main national competitors for mobile financial services; Serbia Post makes 150 million financial transactions a year in a country of 10 million inhabitants.

The UPU is also helping Posts develop and expand their electronic money transfer services. The remittance market is hampered by restrictive laws, low levels of competition and costly fees, leaving customers, especially migrant workers, vulnerable. There is a strong need for a more streamlined system of sending remittances.

The UPU has entered into valuable partnerships with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Bank, the Alliance for Financial Inclusion and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as others, to research and develop financial inclusion through the postal network.

Major projects

• Nearly 700,000 USD from the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation is helping the UPU fund work on how Posts can enter into partnerships with financial institutions and mobile-money operators to better serve the underprivileged, the exchange of know-how among stakeholders and initiating pilot projects
• A UPU-IFAD project in West Africa, involving Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal, connected 355 post offices in rural areas to the UPU's worldwide electronic payment network. Rural post offices have been providing the service since October 2009, while currently, a total of 453 post offices in the six countries offer fund transfer services. According to postal officials in those countries, the time for receiving remittances and the transfer costs have been reduced.
• IFAD is financing two additional development projects for postal payment services in South East Asia and Central Asia to the tune of 750,000 USD. The aim is to help designated operators in these countries to develop their money transfer services in rural regions.
• With the World Bank, the UPU is helping the Posts of West and Central Africa countries improve the quality of their money transfer services. 

 Facts and figures


• Only 8% of the world’s Posts do not offer financial services (UPU survey)
• 51 Posts worldwide hold 1.6 billion savings and deposit accounts
• One billion people are banked through the Post
• Several hundred million people, often without an account, use the post to send and receive domestic and international transfers, and make government payments and utility payments
• Remittances to developing countries in 2011 reached 372 billion USD, 12% more than in 2010 (World Bank)
• 30 to 40% of remittances go to rural areas, while in many countries the value of remittances exceeds foreign direct investment (IFAD)


 
Source :  news.upu.in

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