Transforming Postal Supply Chains and Digital Trade Networks for an E-Commerce Driven Future

23 - 24 June 2026

Rabat, Kingdom of Morocoo

UPU

Day 1: Strategy & Market Transformation

8:30 – 9:00: Registration & Networking

9:00 – 9:55: Official opening ceremony

Keynote address by H.E. Mr Ryad Mezzour, Minister, Ministry of Industry and Commerce
Welcome remarks by Mr Amin Benjelloun Touimi, Director General of Poste Maroc
Remarks by Mr Masahiko Metoki, Director General, UPU International Bureau (remotely)
Issuance ceremony of a Joint Postal Stamp between Morocco and Mauritania
Signing cooperation agreement between Morocco and Somalia

9:55 – 10:00: Group photo

10:00 – 10:10: Coffee Break

10:10 – 10:30: Presentation on "3rd Arab Postal Leaders' Forum: A flagship platform to translate regional priorities into action, partnerships and investments"

Speaker: Mr Mutua Muthusi, Director of Development and Cooperation, UPU International Bureau

10:30 – 10:50: Opening keynote on "The New Geography of Global Trade: How E-Commerce Is Reshaping Supply Chains"

Objective: Provide a global outlook on how e-commerce growth and digital trade platforms are reshaping logistics networks and how these trends are shaping the Arab region.

Speaker: Mr Andre Pharand, CEO, Pharand Advisors

Key discussion points:

The Explosion of Global E-Commerce and Its Impact on Logistics Networks
The Shift from Globalized Supply Chains to Regionalized Trade Corridors
Digital Platforms and Marketplaces as the New Drivers of Global Trade

10:50 – 12:00: Panel 1 on "Reinventing Postal Networks for the E-commerce Economy"

Objective: Parcel-centric logistics networks; automation and infrastructure modernization; partnerships with e-commerce platforms.

Speakers:

Mr Amin Benjelloun Touimi, Director General of Poste Maroc
Mr Hassan Elsayed, CEO, Qatar Postal Services Company
Mr Sayed Taman, Deputy Chairperson of Egypt Post

Moderator: Mr Mutua Muthusi, Director of Development and Cooperation, UPU International Bureau

Key discussion points:

Network redesign from mail-dominated systems to parcel and logistics ecosystems
Digitalization, automation and infrastructure modernization priorities
Build-versus-partner choices with marketplaces, integrators and logistics technology providers
How operators can compete without losing the trust and reach of the public postal mandate

12:00 – 12:40: Presentation on “The UPU global Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) solution and support for UPU hybrid models for commercial flows”

Speaker: Mr Lati Matata, Director of Postal Technology Center, UPU International Bureau

12:40 – 13:40: Networking Lunch

13:40 – 14:50: Panel 2 on "Unlocking Cross-Border E-Commerce in the Arab Region"

Objective: To explore how e-commerce is reshaping postal supply chains and how postal operators can become stronger enablers of MSME exports, trade inclusion and low-friction cross-border fulfilment.

Speakers:

Ms Hanadi Al Tayyeb, director general, Jordan Post
Mr Nael Adwan, Secretary General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC), Jordan
Mr Tadas Drunga, Head of International Business Development, Omniva
Ms Hannah Huegel, GM of EMEA and CPO at Zonos
Mr Jan Bojnansky, Postal Supply Chain Coordinator, UPU International Bureau.

Moderator: Mr Juan Moroni, Digital Transformation and Policy Expert, UPU International Bureau

Key discussion points:

De minimis shifts and their implications for postal business models
Trade inclusion pathways for MSMEs, especially through simplified postal export services
Electronic advance data, delivery-duty-paid models and trusted cross-border workflows
Security, risk management and handling of illicit, dangerous or counterfeit goods

14:50 – 15:05: Solutions to address the challenges discussed

15:05 – 16:15: Panel 3 on "AI, Data and the Future of Logistics Intelligence"

Objective: To discuss how data, artificial intelligence and machine learning can improve postal decision-making, demand planning, route optimization, operational visibility and customer experience.

Speakers:

Mr Yassine Friaa, President and CEO of the National Postal Service, Tunisia
Ms Emily Bennett, Head Digital Public Solutions, UNICC
Mr Omar K. Radaideh, Lead Analyst - MENA GSMA
Mr Walter Trezek, Chair of the UPU Consultative Committee

Moderator: Mr Lati Matata, Director of Postal Technology Center, UPU International Bureau

Key discussion points:

Forecasting and demand sensing for volatile parcel flows
AI-enabled customer engagement, route planning and exception management
How to build operational visibility across fragmented physical and digital supply chain assets
Cyber resilience, governance and responsible use of operational and customer data

16:15 – 16:20: Day 1 wrap-up & reflections

19:00 – 21:00: Gala dinner hosted by Poste Maroc

Day 2: Operations, Innovation and Investment

9:00 – 9:10: Day opening and recap

9:10 – 10:20: Panel 4 on "Winning the last mile: The battle for the Customer"

Objective: To translate strategy into service design by focusing on the customer-facing layers of the digital postal supply chain: addressing, service access, last mile, returns and inclusive digital services.

Speakers:

Mr Hassan Elsayed, CEO, Qatar Postal Services Company
Mr Jean-Paul Forceville, POC Chair, Director of European and International Relations, La Poste, France
Mr Graeme Lee, Postal Sector Policy, Regulation and Strategy Consultant

Moderator: Mr Andre Pharand, CEO, Pharand Advisors

Key discussion points:

Digital addressing, geolocation and trusted delivery data
Parcel lockers, PUDO, returns ecosystems and flexible last-mile models
Inclusive customer journeys for citizens, MSMEs and underserved communities
How posts can package logistics, payments and government-linked services into one coherent offer

10:20 – 10:35: Solutions to address the challenges discussed

10:35 – 11:45: Panel 5 Operations Panel on "Building the Arab region's next logistics super-network"

Objective: To explore how postal operators, logistics providers and policymakers can collaborate to develop an integrated regional logistics network that strengthens trade connectivity, accelerates e-commerce growth and positions the Arab region as a strategic logistics bridge between Asia, Europe and Africa.

Speakers:

Mr Amin Benjelloun Touimi, Director General of Poste Maroc
Mr Sulaiman Al Kharusi, Director of Policies and Governance, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, Oman
Mr Vincenzo Aurelio, Chair of the Board of Directors Postal Union for the Mediterranean - PUMed
Mr Santosh Gopal, Chair of the UPU Ready-to-Market Interoperability Group
Mr Jan Bojnansky, Postal Supply Chain Coordinator, UPU International Bureau

Moderator: Mr Graeme Lee, Postal Sector Policy, Regulation and Strategy Consultant

Key discussion points:

Developing Regional Logistics Corridors
Strategic Role of Airline Cargo Partnerships
Building Regional Logistics Hubs and Fulfilment Ecosystems
Interoperability Between Postal and Logistics Networks
Enabling Policy and Investment Frameworks
From National Networks to a Regional Logistics Ecosystem

11:45 – 12:00: Solutions to address the challenges dicussed

12:00 – 13:10: Coffee break

13:10 – 14:20: Panel 6 on "Financing the next generation of logistics infrastructure"

Obejctive: To explore how postal operators and governments can fund modernization across infrastructure, data systems, platforms, automation and digital public-service layers.

Speakers:

Mr Alioune Ould Issa, Director General, MauriPost, Mauritania
Mr Yann Pitrou, Government Bid Director, Eutelsat
Mr Khaled Al Homsi, Director General of the Telecommunications and Postal Regulatory Authority
Mr Sami Aloui, Investment Manager, General Directorate of Digital Economy, Investment and Statistics - Ministry of Communication Technologies, Tunisia
Mr Graeme Lee, Postal Sector Policy, Regulation and Strategy Consultant

Moderator: Mr Juan Moroni, Digital Transformation and Policy Expert, UPU International Bureau

Key discussion points:

How to make postal digitalization programs more bankable and investment-ready
Blended finance, concessionary finance and private-capital options for logistics and digital infrastructure
Sequencing investment between platforms, operations, customer touchpoints and cross-border enablement
How to demonstrate ROI when reforms also serve inclusion, resilience and public-service goals

14:20 – 14:35: Institutional presentation consultative committee secretary

14:50 – 15:00: Closing ceremony

Recommendations and key takeaways of the forum: Mr Mutua Muthusi, Director of Development and Cooperation, UPU International Bureau
Closing remarks: Mr Amin Benjelloun Touimi, Director General of Poste Maroc

15:00 – 16:00: Networking lunch

16:00: Visit to Mausoleum of Mohammed V

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