The first day on November 25, 2024, a RAPA Conference Meeting was held at the Pos Indonesia BOD Meeting Room, Jakarta. The meeting was attended by Pos Indonesia's Courier & Logistics Business Director, Operations & Digital Services Director, Business Development & Portfolio Management Director, as well as representatives from Thailand Post, Vietnam Post, and Kota Capital Advisors.

The main agenda included opening remarks, presentations on RAPA's objectives and activities, discussions on rebranding and business development, and presentations from regional postal operators. In addition, the event concluded with a visit to Pos Indonesia's sorting facility and a workshop on role simulation in the RAPA Shop ecosystem.

In the opening session, the importance of collaboration within the ASEAN postal network to face the challenges of e-commerce was highlighted. Through a presentation from Kota Capital Advisors, the concept of a “RAPA Shop” was proposed as a one-stop access shop that offers multi-market services by integrating postal networks, third-party networks and other postal partners. Emphasis was also placed on the need to partner with fintech companies and e-commerce platforms to support the success of this initiative.

Further discussions highlighted the need for local warehouses to support deliveries, the importance of VAT arrangements in cross-border trade, and sharing experiences between postal operators to avoid similar challenges. Postal operators from Thailand and Vietnam presented their innovations, including multilingual e-commerce platforms and “post shop/mart” license models.

A visit to the Jakarta Mail Processing Center showcased state-of-the-art robotic technology in the mail sorting process, which increases mail management efficiency and capacity, especially during peak periods.

An interactive workshop divided participants into groups to explore their respective roles in the RAPA Shop ecosystem. From this discussion, several action points were generated, such as finalizing the shop name, forming strategic partnerships with fintechs, and aligning strategies with VAT and customs regulations.

The meeting concluded with an action plan to confirm the resources of each postal operator and prepare for a follow-up workshop.