The Universal Postal Union (UPU), in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (the Alliance) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), honored five organizations at the TradePost Awards 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday, 13 September. Pos Indonesia, MyDutyCollect, Turkish Post, Saudi Post, and Cambodia Post each demonstrated their commitment to trade inclusion and support for micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) development.

“Postal services have always been an important bridge between communities, markets and people, and in today's interconnected world, this role is even more crucial,” said Barbara Oliveira Ramos, ITC's Head of Trade Strategy and Policy for Trade and Investment.

The award for Public Initiative for Postal Trade Inclusion was given to Pos Indonesia for its project “Collaboration Center & Cash on Delivery Services to the Periphery.”

Pos Indonesia has connected 3 million MSMEs to global markets by transforming post offices into spaces for creation, connection, and innovation. Around 200 collaboration centers offer physical spaces for women entrepreneurs to access e-commerce tools and resources, workshops, and training on various aspects of e-commerce, such as digital marketing and financial management. They can also network with others, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing.

“Pos Indonesia has really helped me as an MSME owner,” said one of the women entrepreneurs who benefited from the project. “I can reach more customers and increase sales. It's also great to see my brand getting recognized.”

The award for Private Initiative for Postal Trade Inclusion went to UPU Consultative Committee member MyDutyCollect for its project of the same name. This AI platform, which focuses on cross-border customs clearance and taxes, automates HS classification, landing fees, goods inspection, and tax payments. It provides essential support to MSMEs, women, and underrepresented communities by simplifying VAT compliance through IOSS intermediary services, so they can focus on growth and innovation.

“By combining our technology with our network of postal partners and experience, we are in a unique position to deliver comprehensive e-commerce solutions to support small businesses and economic growth in both developing and developed markets,” said Niall O'Neill, CEO of MyDutyCollect.

Turkish Post received the UPU-ITC Award for Trade Inclusion by Post for its project “Enhancing Women's e-Commerce Skills.” The project supports trade inclusion for women entrepreneurs and women cooperatives in Turkey, with services such as special commission rates and e-commerce training.

One entrepreneur, a jewelry designer, says he feels safe sending his unique handmade jewelry through Turkish Post's parcel service, which picks up his shipments directly from his workshop.

“It also makes it easier to ship anywhere,” he says.

Finally, two post offices were joint winners of the UPU-GATF Trade Facilitation Innovation Award: Saudi Post for its project “Prepaid Platform for MSMEs,” and Cambodia Post for its project “E-Customs Clearance Platform for Postal Shipments.”

Saudi Post's platform supports economic inclusion by giving MSMEs access to reliable logistics services, supporting entrepreneurship and reducing market entry barriers. It increases average annual revenue by 20 percent and empowers more than 5,000 MSMEs to obtain logistics services at a lower cost.

Cambodia Post's UPU CDS-UNCTAD ASYCUDA interface facilitates efficient customs clearance of low-risk postal items between Cambodia Post and Cambodia Customs. This automated message exchange is part of the Improving Small Package e-Trade for SMEs (SeT4SME) project, which uses state-of-the-art technology. The project is an initiative of the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation and is implemented by Swisscontact in collaboration with the Cambodian Ministry of Trade.

Philippe Isler, Director of the Alliance, said that Cambodia Post is a prime example of what the Alliance strives to do, which is to bring together existing postal institutions and the private sector.

“We have built some key digital connectivity between the postal system and customs to help MSMEs facilitate the process of exporting their goods from Cambodia to the rest of the world, and I think we can now replicate this in many different countries,” Isler said.

With the growing importance of trade inclusion and postal innovation, UPU and its partners hope to celebrate more innovative projects during the next edition of the awards.

“At ITC, we believe in the potential of postal networks to open up new opportunities in trade and job creation, especially for MSMEs and women-owned businesses. We look forward to working with UPU and other partners in creating a more inclusive and innovative trading system that benefits everyone,” Ramos added.

Stay tuned for updates on how to participate in the TradePost Awards 2025 to showcase your own initiatives in advancing global trade.

Source: upu.int