Kenya has recaptured two decision making organs of the Universal Postal Union, the UN specialised agency for postal services. Kenya secured another term of four years in the Council of Administration and the Postal Operations Council during elections that took place in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Kenya made it easily after the African region met the threshold of the 11 slots allocated to it with just 11 countries expressing interest.
In the POC, Kenya made it through after emerging second with 124 votes after Egypt which topped 134 votes. The Communications Authority consists of 41 member countries and meets annually at UPU headquarters in Berne, Switzerland. It is responsible for the continuity of the UPU’s work between Congresses, supervising its activities and studies regulatory, administrative, legislative and legal issues.
The event also witnessed a change of guard following the election of new leadership of the Universal Postal Union. Japan’s Masahiko Metoki was elected the new Director General, to be deputized by Marjan Osvald of Slovenia.They will take over from Kenya’s Ambassador Bishar Hussein who has been the head of the UPU for the past nine (9) years, deputized by Pascal Clivaz of Switzerland.
Hussein is the first Kenyan and African to lead the UPU since its establishment in 1894 and is credited for opening up the agency for wider participation of developing countries, besides implementing a raft of reforms that have greatly transformed the organization. The 28th UPU Congress will be held in the United Arab Emirates.