OMM Redaksiyası
Azerbaijan is among a small group of countries represented on both of the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) main governing bodies, UPU Director General Masahiko Metoki told journalists in Baku.
Metoki described Azerbaijan’s election to the Council of Administration and the Postal Operations Council as a significant achievement. He said winning election to the bodies was not easy and that around 30 of the UPU’s 192 member countries are represented on both councils, APA reported.
Azerbaijan was elected to both bodies at the UPU’s 28th Universal Postal Congress, held in Dubai in September 2025. Its term runs from 2025 to 2029.
Roles of the councils
The 41-member Council of Administration oversees the UPU’s work between congresses. Its responsibilities include regulatory, administrative, legislative and legal matters, as well as oversight of the organization’s strategy, budget and technical cooperation activities.
The Postal Operations Council, which represents 48 member countries, deals with the operational, commercial, technical and economic aspects of international postal services. It develops recommendations and standards to update postal products and services, as well as cross-border operations.
The UPU, a specialized agency of the United Nations, has 192 member countries. Its congress, held every four years, is the organization’s highest decision-making body.
Postal sector adapts to digital change
Metoki also discussed the postal sector’s transformation amid the growth of e-commerce, digitalization and changing customer expectations. He said traditional letter volumes continued to decline, while parcel delivery growth and wider use of data were creating new sources of revenue and opportunities for postal operators.
The UPU’s 2026–2029 strategy also notes that digitalization, e-commerce and rapid technological change are reshaping the sector. The strategy says operators need to modernize their services and integrate more closely with the digital economy.
UPU analysis points to mounting pressure on traditional postal services: letter volumes are falling, while demand is increasing for parcel delivery and e-commerce-related logistics services.
Metoki said postal operators should make more efficient use of their existing physical networks by combining them with digital capabilities and data-driven services. The UPU strategy also aims to strengthen the role of postal networks as important partners in e-commerce and promote innovation, digital infrastructure and cooperation across the global postal ecosystem.
According to the UPU, the long-term competitiveness of postal operators will increasingly depend on their ability to combine extensive delivery networks with digital tools, improved services and efficient cross-border logistics.
