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The Universal Postal Union (UPU) is a United Nations specialized agency and serves as the primary forum for international cooperation within the postal sector. [source: upu-c4d] The UPU collaborates with other global organizations, such as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), to host events like the inaugural DNS Security Forum at the UPU headquarters in Berne. [source: upu-c4d] The UPU also works with partners to combat illicit trade, as demonstrated by Operation African Star in 2024, which helped curb illegal drug trade through the Post in East Africa, and efforts to replicate this success in Asia. [source: upu-c4d]
The UPU organizes innovation challenges, such as the fourth UPU Innovation Challenge, which brought together postal experts, economists, regulators, and AI developers to explore intelligent, coordinated postal systems. [source: upu-c4d] The UPU publishes a newsletter called “Digital Union,” which highlights key outcomes from UPU sessions, including the Postal Forum, Conference on Postal Regulation, and Regional Development Plans. [source: upu-c4d] The UPU provides a Global Track & Trace service and a member country directory for those seeking further information. [source: upu-c4d]
Use it for
A campaigner can use this source to understand the UPU’s role as a United Nations specialized agency and its function as the primary forum for international postal cooperation. [source: upu-c4d] The source provides examples of UPU initiatives, such as combating illicit trade through postal networks and fostering innovation in postal systems, which a campaigner could reference when advocating for international collaboration or postal security measures. [source: upu-c4d]