Technical Co-operation Colloquium - Montevideo

The 2nd Technical Co-operation Colloquium of the Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal (UPAEP) was held last 21 April in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo, in the scope of the annual session of the Consultative and Executive Council (CEC) and chaired by Costa Rica's Maurício Rojas, who also heads the UPAEP Technical Co-operation working group.

This second Colloquium was meant to review the process and procedures for submitting technical co-operation projects with a view to receiving UPAEP subsidies, emphasising best practices so that the countries can make best use of all postal development tools at their disposal.

The General Secretariat presented results of the 2005-2009 four-year period with respect to technical co-operation projects and the current status of operators vis-à-vis the market, rules framework and the quality levels characterising same. The Co-operation for Development Directorate of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) also presented the regional development plan resulting from the UPU/UPAEP partnership, the results attained and limits encountered, prospects for future work and available modes for continuing and furthering postal development co-operation in the Latin American region.

Chile presented the project on Postal Giros (electronic postal payment system supported by the IFS system platform) to exemplify the success of a project subject to UPAEP financing and successfully developed in that country.

Lastly, an effort was made at the colloquium to consider expectations about the future of UPAEP technical co-operation from two distinct standpoints: that of the developing countries, presented by Guatemala; and that of the developed countries, presented by Portugal, which insisted on the need to take responsibility and to improve service quality.

The conclusions underscored the need to regulate the training provided by UPAEP or other member countries, streamline the training applicant procedure and above all to have the countries take responsibility for co-operation projects that are ultimately their instruments for development.