The United Arab Emirates, represented by 7X, participated in the Universal Postal Union (UPU) meetings that took place in the Swiss capital of Bern. These sessions marked the start of a new term for both the UPU Council of Administration and Postal Operations Council, following the successful conclusion of the 28th Universal Postal Congress hosted in Dubai in September.
The UAE delegation was led by Tariq Al Wahedi, Group CEO of 7X and Chairman of the UPU Council of Administration for the 2026-2029 term. Al Wahedi chaired the first meeting of the Council of Administration for this term, the UPU’s highest supervisory authority, tasked with overseeing the implementation of decisions and policies adopted by the Congress, as well as approving new mechanisms that embody the objectives of the UPU’s ‘Dubai Strategy 2026–2029’.
The agenda of the meeting focused on enhancing governance frameworks and financial reform, accelerating digital integration across member states and advancing inclusion in developing nations. It also reviewed the execution framework of the new strategy to keep pace with transformations in the digital economy and global supply chains. The meeting also addressed the establishment of committees and technical working groups, as well as the adoption of performance monitoring and assessment mechanisms for the UPU in the new ‘Dubai Cycle’ term.
The UAE’s chairmanship of the UPU Council of Administration underscores its pivotal role in supporting global efforts to nurture a highly integrated, efficient and sustainable postal ecosystem, while further strengthening its position as an international hub for logistics, eCommerce and smart services. The UAE also took part in the meetings of the Postal Operations Council, which explored the technical, operational and commercial aspects of the postal system, including new settlement models, service quality enhancement, cross-border eCommerce facilitation, and digital systems integration.
Tariq Al Wahedi stated: “The inaugural meeting of the Council of Administration marks the beginning of a new chapter in the Universal Postal Union’s journey and reaffirms the UAE’s commitment to playing a leading role in international efforts to advance governance, innovation, and sustainability. From our position as Chair, we strive to transform the objectives envisioned at the 28th Universal Postal Congress in Dubai into a concrete action plan that strengthens global postal infrastructure and enables national economies to benefit from the digital transformation of trade and logistics. We believe that the future of postal services will not rest on moving letters and parcels, but on transmitting data and knowledge, and connecting communities with opportunity.”
The UAE’s participation and the responsibilities it assumes at these meetings reflect its critical contribution in shaping the future of the global postal and logistics sector. They also highlight the nation’s longstanding commitment to digital transformation and public sector innovation, as reflected in the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision to position the nation as a global hub for connectivity, trade and knowledge dissemination.