Message on
World Post Day 2014
Bishar Abdirahman Hussein,
Director-General of the Universal Postal Union
9 October 2014
Posts claim their place in the
changing communication landscape
Postal services have always been
important motors of economic activity and growth.
The very creation of the
Universal Postal Union 140 years ago established a multilateral framework for
the exchange of documents and goods across borders. It helped postal services
pave the way to globalized trade and commerce.
Today, Posts are poised to play a
very important role in a new wave of globalization being ushered in by the
Internet, which calls for greater inclusion of citizens everywhere.
With half of the world’s
population living in rural areas, the postal network is well placed to reach
them. In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, 80% of post offices are located in
smaller cities and rural areas, where the majority of people live.
For postal services to flourish,
electrical and Internet connectivity is essential, especially in developing
countries, where only 32% of the population has access to the Internet.
The global postal network is a
tremendous asset for extending this digital reach – not only for the benefit of
citizens and businesses, but also for governments, development agencies and
other stakeholders looking for solutions to many of the challenges our world is
grappling with.
According to the World Bank, post
offices are the cheapest providers of remittance services, ahead of banks and
money transfer operators.
Posts are also the second biggest
contributors to financial inclusion after banks, with one billion people
holding a postal account.
And there are new opportunities
with cross-border e-commerce. Although this business is still relatively new,
global online sales should reach 1.5 trillion dollars by year end. More often
than not, online purchases are delivered by the Post.
Postal activities stimulate the
global economy and improve livelihoods. And, with 640,000 post offices
worldwide, we find them where they can make a difference.
By increasing post offices’
electrical and Internet connectivity, governments can ensure that post offices
make a major contribution to efforts to bring communication, financial, social
and economic services to rural populations.
As the communication landscape
evolves, I see an important place in it for Posts, especially in this new
globalized world.
I urge governments to carry on
investing in their national postal network so that citizens and businesses
continue to benefit from a most essential and affordable public service.
I wish you a happy World Post
Day. |
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