The Universal Postal Union (UPU) and the Qatar government have signed an agreement to formalise thehosting of the 25th Universal Postal Congress in the Qatari capital, Doha, in 2012. More than 2,000
delegates from the UPU’s 191 member countries are expected to attend the Doha Congress.The Congress is the supreme authority of the Union, bringing together plenipotentiaries ofall member countries, and is convened every four years. Although the Congress’ main function islegislative, this has evolved over the years and it now concentrates on strategic issues. The 25thCongress will be held in Doha from October 3 to 25, 2012.
The formal agreement was signed on April 3 at the UPU’s International Bureau in Berne,Switzerland, by Qatar’s Minister of Business and Trade, Sheikh Fahad Bin Jassim Bin Mohammed AlThani, and the UPU Director General, Edouard Dayan. The decision to hold the 25th Congress in Qatarwas taken at the 24th Congress held in Geneva in August 2008.
It was also announced that Ali Mohammed Ali Al Ali would be the designated chairman of the25th Congress. Al-Ali is the chairman and general manager of Qatar Post. Ambassador Abdulla FalahAbdulla Al-Dosari, special representative of Qatar to the United Nations and internationalorganizations in Switzerland, also attended the ceremony.
At the signing, Sheikh Al-Thani said: “On behalf of the state of Qatar, I would like toexpress our pleasure in cooperating with the UPU and its member countries and to extend a warmwelcome to you as our special guests.”
Director General Dayan added: “This agreement paves the way for a long and intensiverelationship between the International Bureau and Qatar. I congratulate Mr Al-Ali on hisnomination. I compliment the government of Qatar on their choice and I have no doubt that Mr Al-Aliwill be an excellent chairman.
