SECRETARYGENERAL’S DESK

Greetings from the Asian-Pacific Postal Union!

As we reach the halfway mark of 2025, I want to take a moment to thank each one of you for your continued support and active engagement. Your collaboration has been the driving force behind the Union’s steady progress across all areas of our work.

The highlight of this period has been the successful conclusion of the 2025 Executive Council Meeting in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. It was heartening to witness our shared commitment to regional cooperation and to see firsthand the results of our collective efforts. Notably, the Union recorded a nearly 50% increase in the total budget since the start of the current cycle – a significant milestone that reflects our financial strengthening and long-term sustainability. In fact, all three Bureau sections – Administrative, Training, and Consultancy – reported surpluses and contributed to their respective reserve funds.

During the EC meeting, we also formalized a new partnership with the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) through a Memorandum of Understanding, which paves the way for exciting new initiatives in the area of philately.

Our capacity-building efforts through the Asian-Pacific Postal College (APPC) are also gathering momentum. By mid-August, we expect to have completed about 70% of our
scheduled courses and workshops, with 161 participants already trained or enrolled – setting us firmly on track to exceed last year’s participation numbers. The growing interest in APPC’s programmes is a strong testament to the value they bring to our membership and beyond.

We also marked the successful completion of the UPU-funded regional project on postal regulations titled ‘Exploring key aspects of postal regulations in the Asia-Pacific region’, which compiled valuable regional insights and best practices with significant learnings that can be of immense benefit to the members that are in the process of amending the existing or bringing in new postal regulations. The final report has been
shared with all members, and we are planning follow-up engagements to build on its findings and support members further.