Mauritius: The 10th Annual Southern Africa Postal Operators Association (SAPOA) Postal Forum Conference, being held in collaboration with the Mauritius Post Ltd (MPL), was launched this morning, in the presence of the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Darsanand Balgobin, at the Ravenala Attitude Hotel, in Turtle Bay, Balaclava.
A total of 14 African countries are participating in the conference that will span up to 31 March 2023. In his address, Minister Balgobin said that the conference would enable participants to examine and discuss crucial issues and opportunities concerning the postal sector, as well as to take stock of where the industry stood today in the global context.
Mr Balgobin underlined the need for the sector to transform and become more modernised, diversified, competitive, and responsive to the citizen’s needs while adapting and evolving to remain relevant in today’s fast-paced world to ensure the sustainable growth of the postal industry.
According to the Minister, a key challenge facing the postal sector was the need to become more sustainable, and key activities, including Digital Transformation, E-commerce, and Financial Inclusion, were determinants of their future.
As for Mauritius, Minister Darsanand Balgobin informed that the MPL had commissioned a 10-Year Restructuring and Strategic Plan that recommended the implementation of various strategies and new opportunities through Value-Added and Premium Services, such as finding new business partners, going for operations re-engineering at delivery and mail routes, and setting up procurement controls and other operating costs.
“The objective,” he added, “is to give its employees a friendly environment to work in and citizens and businesses a service they can continue to rely on.”
For his part, the SAPOA Chairperson, Mr Festus Hangula, stated that the discussions to be held over the course of the event would help to share and collect information that would further shape the understanding of the postal sector. “The focus,” he recalled, “will be digital transformation, e-commerce and financial inclusion for the efficiency and sustainability of the sector.”
Mr Festus Hangula further emphasised that the conference was an opportune moment for all participating countries to interact with each other, share their success and learn from each other for the betterment of their respective institution and the region.
Southern Africa Postal Operators Association Postal Forum Conference
The objective of the annual Forum is to address challenges of the Postal Sector in the region and aims at benchmarking among postal authorities facing the same challenges; addressing common issues for the region, and identifying new areas for collaboration and updating on current and future trends and latest technologies in the industry across the world.
The conference will focus on the theme ‘Striving towards a digital, sustainable, and efficient postal & logistics ecosystem’.