New Delhi, Aug 27 (Agency) India has won elections for membership of the Council of Administration (CA) and the Postal Operations Council (POC) of the Universal Postal Union at the 27th UPU Congress at Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in West Africa. India was elected with 134 votes to the Council of Administration (CA), and won the highest votes in the CA elections from South Asia and Oceania region. India was also elected with 106 votes out of 156 countries to the Postal Operations Council. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar congratulated the Ministry of External Affairs for the election, terming it ‘noteworthy’. “India’s election to the Council of Administration (CA) and the Postal Operations Council (POC) of Universal Postal Union yesterday is noteworthy.
Congratulate #TeamMEA. “Will work with all to strengthen cooperation in the UPU,” he tweeted. Member countries elected Japan’s Masahiko Metoki as the next UPU Director General and Slovenia’s Marjan Osvald as Deputy Director General during the 27th Universal Postal Congress in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Established in 1874, the Universal Postal Union (UPU), with its headquarters in the Swiss capital Berne, is the second oldest international organization worldwide. With its 192 member countries, the UPU is the primary forum for cooperation between postal sector players. The Postal Operations Council (POC) is the technical and operational mind of the UPU and consists of 40 member countries, elected during Congress. The body elects its own chair and meets annually at the UPU’s headquarters in Berne. The POC’s work programme is geared towards helping Posts modernize and upgrade their postal products and services. It deals with the operational, economic and commercial aspects of the postal business. The body also makes recommendations to member countries on standards for technological, operational or other processes within its competence where uniform practices are necessary.
The UPU consists of four bodies: The Congress, which is the supreme authority of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and meets every four years. The Council of Administration, which ensures the continuity of the UPU’s work between Congresses, supervises its activities and studies regulatory, administrative, legislative and legal issues. The Postal Operations Council (POC), which is the technical and operational mind of the UPU and consists of 40 member countries, elected during Congress. The International Bureau, which provides logistical and technical support to the UPU’s bodies.