UPU Global Leaders Summit in Dubai sets bold agenda for postal and logistics innovation

Business

UPU Global Leaders Summit in Dubai sets bold agenda for postal and logistics innovation

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) convened its Global Leaders Summit 2025 in Dubai, bringing together ministers, CEOs, regulators, and industry leaders to shape the future of the postal and logistics sectors. The event, held alongside the 28th Universal Postal Congress – Dubai 2025, spotlighted innovation, collaboration, and transformation across the global postal ecosystem.

The opening ceremony featured remarks from Masahiko Metoki, Director General of UPU, and Tariq Al Wahedi, Congress Chair and Group CEO of 7X. Both emphasized the UAE’s growing role as a logistics hub and its leadership in fostering public–private innovation.

Collaboration and innovation in focus

A highlight of the summit was a duet dialogue between Tariq Al Wahedi and Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon Middle East, Africa, and Turkey. They discussed their recent collaboration on a hyperlocal delivery initiative, where Amazon UAE leverages the Dark Stores of EMX, the logistics arm of 7X, to accelerate deliveries of high-demand products. The dialogue also touched on their joint involvement in the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA) hackathon and research on the UAE’s commercial electric vehicle landscape.

Leaders from Guinea, Brazil, the United States, Mongolia, and the International Post Corporation shared perspectives on repurposing postal infrastructure to support eCommerce, financial inclusion, and equitable development.

Call to action for transformation

In the closing session, Marjan Osvald, Deputy Director General of UPU, and Mohamed Khalid Bin Sulaiman, Chief Licensing Officer of the UAE’s Postal Sector Regulatory Committee, urged stakeholders to transform postal networks into agile, interoperable platforms capable of meeting both global ambitions and community needs.

Speakers from Spain, China, India, Austria, and Oman also highlighted the role of emerging technologies—including artificial intelligence, big data, and machine learning—in redefining postal operations, improving customer engagement, and driving digital transformation.

The summit concluded with a unified call for bold action, reinforcing the need for global collaboration to ensure the postal sector remains a critical enabler of trade, innovation, and inclusive development.