Postal Sector for Digitalisation

THE African Postal Sector Umbrella Organization, Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) is poised for a single Harmonized Policy and Regulations as a part strategy to consolidate the sustainable growth of Postal Services in the African Continent.

In his message at a colourful handover ceremony of incoming and outgoing Management of PAPU in Arusha recently the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) Director General (DG) Dr. Jabiri K. Bakari said that PAPU remains the hub for building A SINGLE AFRICAN POSTAL TERRITORY for improved people’s living standards and sustainable development of respective Member States.

He said digitalization of Postal Services to make it ICT Driven, remains one of PAPU’s fundamental missions to open opportunities and up-grade e-Commerce business operations not only in the African Continent but also to unlock the potentials of the African Business Globally.

“The contribution of Postal Services to the development of the digital economy and emphasized ongoing ICT boom offers a unique opportunity for the development of postal services in Africa,” said the TCRA DG.

Dr. Jabiri congratulated the Out-going and Incoming PAPU Management for a peaceful leadership change saying the move conformed with official procedure of credible succession process after reaching the end of their tenure with remarkable achievements.

The TCRA DG said construction of the Pan African Postal Union ´PAPU´ Head Office Complex in Arusha, a joint venture project between TCRA and PAPU, was a clear testimony of deep-rooted relations between the two entities, as the 17 Storey multibillion worth of the investment building becomes a reality.

Dr. Bakari said in his speech delivered by his representative to the event, Dr. Emmanuel Manasseh that the process of improving the Postal industry calls for sustainable dialogue, collaboration, confidence building, learning and experience sharing among PAPU Member States.

In his speech, the outgoing Minister for Communication and Information Technology Hon. Dr. Faustine Ndugulile (MP) said the United Republic of Tanzania has always cherished supporting a drive of having a unified and harmonized delivery of Postal Services.

“The Government is determined towards continuous support to enable PAPU a vibrant, Modernized, ICT driven Postal Services Organisation for improved living standards of people and sustainable development of the Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) respective Member States.” Said the outgoing Minister.

Dr Ndugulile told delegates at the colourful handover ceremony that the 17storey multi-billion worth of towering complex under construction in Arusha, (PAPU Investment Head Office Building) was a clear manifestation of the Government’s commitment towards transforming PAPU into an income generation and credible African Continent Body.

He commended the peaceful leadership change and Office handover process between Outgoing Secretary-General of PAPU Mr Younouss Djibrine and Incoming PAPU SG, Dr Sifundo Chief Moyo from Zimbabwe plus Outgoing PAPU SG Mr Kolawole Raheem Aduloju also handed over the Office to Ms Jessica Uwera SSengooba of Uganda.

Gracing the event in Arusha recently, The Zimbabwean Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services Hon. Dr Jenfan Muswere thanked the United Republic of Tanzania for not only hosting the headquarters of PAPU since its inception in 1980 but also for unwavering support and goodwill that has been unveiled to the Union over years, be it, financial, moral and material.

Hon. Dr Muswere who was the guest of honor at the event and Chairman of the Plenipotentiary Conference (PC) of PAPU paid special tribute to the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan for the noble gesture and promise that will continue supporting efforts in uplifting the Union’s performance.

He appealed to the new Management to bring into fruition the PAPU Complex Project and align the work of the Union with the Abidjan World Postal Strategy and Plan adopted during the 27th Universal Postal Union Congress.

Dr Muswere re-affirmed Zimbabwe’s continued support forwards efficient administrative role of PAPU that will yield improved delivery of services to all Member States in the African Continent through harmonized policies, regulations sustainable development of Africa through the digitalized Postal Sector.

The Pan African Postal Union (PAPU), a specialized agency of the African Union (AU) was established on 18th January 1980, following the decision of the Plenipotentiary Conference of 35 OAU member countries during a meeting held on 8th to 18th January 1980, in Arusha, the United Republic of Tanzania. With its Headquarters in Arusha, PAPU whose membership by then consisted of only 35 countries when it was created currently has 45 active Member States. The main objective of forming the Union is to coordinate all activities aimed at developing postal services on the African continent.

In the 1980s, the then Minister of Communication and Works, who later became Prime Minister Hon. John S. Malecela ensured PAPU got a plot at Sekei near Philips in Arusha. In the 1990s a dream to construct Joint Invest Complex was conceived by the then Tanzania Communication Commission (TCC), Tanzania Postal Corporation (TPC) and Tanzania Telecommunication Company Limited (TTCL) to jointly with PAPU, construct the complex., according to the first Director-General of TCC, Mr Emmanuel Ole Kambainei.

The visionary idea has now become a reality, as TCRA under the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology is fully engaged in a Joint Venture Construction Project, creating job opportunities for hundreds involved in the exercise.

The Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) is a specialized institution of the African Union. Its main objective is to coordinate all activities aimed at developing postal services on the African continent.

PAPU was established by the constitutive Plenipotentiary Conference of African ministers in charge of postal services, held in 1980 in Arusha, Tanzania. The Conference had been convened by the OAU Secretary-General following a decision by African Heads of State and Government during their summit in Libreville, Gabon, of 2nd to 6th July in 1977.

The Union was established by the Heads of State and Government of the then Organization of African Union (OAU), according to a Resolution taken during the aforementioned meeting in Libreville. Thereafter, the Convention formally establishing PAPU as a specialized agency of the OAU was signed during the Constitutive Plenipotentiary Conference held on 18th January 1980 in Arusha.

PAPU’s vision is to ensure the implementation of a single postal territory that provides innovative, integrated and inclusive policy guidelines for the development of the postal sector in Africa.

It fosters inclusive socio-economic development for the African Citizens through exchanges of documents and goods, money transfer services, assists MSMEs development and the corresponding African industrialization process in Africa, among others.