In every country, postal services play a vital role in the exchange of information and goods.
In 2012, Posts globally delivered 350 billion
letters and more than 6 billion parcels. They also processed millions of
financial transactions.
While the core letter-post service remains an
important part of the business – letters still accounted, on average, for 45%
of a Post's overall revenues in 2012 – the gradual decline in business mail is
forcing national postal services to redefine themselves.
Posts around the world are diversifying their
products and services to better meet customers' needs for reliability, speed
and security. As e-commerce grows, they are positioning themselves as the
delivery service of choice for goods ordered online. There is no question that
Posts remain important facilitators of national and international trade in this
constantly evolving world.
Postal financial services, as well as parcels and logistics services, are also
on the rise. Soon, revenues from each of these services are expected to
account, on average, for more than 20% of a Post’s business. Posts that have
never been involved in financial services, or that have been only minimally
involved, are considering entering that market.
This is a logical step. Why? Because of the
postal network's vast reach. The postal network remains the largest physical
network in the world and a fundamental infrastructure that enables large
segments of the economy to function.
With more than 600,000 post offices globally,
postal services are inclusive and accessible; no one gets turned away. The Post
is truly a public service for every citizen, irrespective of one's position in
society.
This 9 October, on World Post Day, I urge
governments to remember their national Post's potential for delivering
essential social and economic services to their citizens and businesses. And I
salute the dedication of the more than 5 million postal staff worldwide who
work to connect people and businesses everywhere daily.
I wish you the very best on World Post Day
2013.