Uganda to host African Postal & Courier conference
Industry observers say that Africa’s postal and courier industry is one of the most extensive physical infrastructures on the continent, reaching remote and underserved areas where other services may be limited.
Otunnu, Director of Corporate Affairs at UCC. (Courtesy)
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Uganda will this month host the Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) Plenipotentiary Conference, the highest decision-making forum of the continental postal body.
According to Fred Otunnu, Director of Corporate Affairs at UCC, the high-level gathering scheduled to take place from March 16 to 28, 2026, in Kampala, will bring together postal and courier industry leaders, policymakers and regulators from across Africa.
“The PAPU Plenipotentiary Conference is the Union’s supreme governing forum. It serves as the platform where member states review progress, set strategic priorities, and make critical decisions that shape policy, governance and the overall direction of Africa’s postal and course sector,” Otunnu said.
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), which is the convener of the conference, said that delegates will deliberate on how the continent’s postal network, once dominated by letters and parcels, can evolve into digitally driven platforms.
This year’s conference will be held under the theme: “Leveraging Digital Technology and Innovation to Create a Smart Postal Sector in Africa: Unlocking Opportunities to Strengthen the African Postal Sector for Boosting Regional Integration.”
A postal service is a system used to send mail (letters and packages) from one place to another, while a courier is a company or employee of a company that transports commercial packages and documents.
Industry observers say that Africa’s postal and courier industry is one of the most extensive physical infrastructures on the continent, reaching remote and underserved areas where other services may be limited.
With the right digital tools, the sector could become a powerful enabler of small business growth and cross-border commerce across the continent.
UCC has severally engaged stakeholders in the postal and courier sector to facilitate the development of regulations and standards that enhance growth and promote the sector as an enabler for e-commerce social economic transformation.