RATIFICATION OF FINAL ACTS AND DECISIONS OF THE 1999 BEIJING CONGRESS

1
RATIFICATION OF FINAL ACTS AND DECISIONS OF THE
1999 BEIJING CONGRESS UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION
2
BACKGROUND

• Universal Postal Union is a specialised Agency of
  the United Nations.
• It is an intergovernmental organization in which
  member countries having well-defined rights and
  obligations, co-operate for the fulfilment of the
  objectives of the Union.
• The Union was founded in 1874 to encourage
  collaboration and development within the
  international postal sector.

3
BACKGROUND CONT.

• South Africa has maintained an active involvement
  in the Universal Postal Union since our admission
  to the Union in 1994.

4
PLENIPOTENTIARY COUNCIL

• The Plenipotentiary Council is a permanent body
  of UPU and meets every five years ( a proposal
  has been made to decrease to 4 Years).
• It considers and adopts proposals for the
  amendments to the UPU Constitution put forward by
  member countries.
• It supervises UPU activities and studies
  regulatory, legal and legislative issues.

5
PLENIPOTENTIARY COUNCIL CONT.

• It ensures continuity of work between congresses.
  
• It deals with the operational, economic and
  commercial aspects of international postal
  services.
• The Plenipotentiary congress aims to assist
  postal administrations to modernize the postal
  services.

6
PLENIPOTENTIARY COUNCIL CONT.

• It also assists in the formulation of
  regulations and take advantage of technological
  development and financial services.
• South Africa, through the Department of
  Communications wishes to ratify the Final Acts
  and the Decisions taken during the 1999 Universal
  Postal Union (UPU) Plenipotentiary Congress held
  in Beijing.

7
AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION OF THE UPU

• The plenipotentiaries of Governments of member
  countries of the UPU met in 1999 at Beijing
  Congress in view of Article 30, paragraph 2, of
  the Constitution of the UPU concluded in Vienna
  on 10 July 1964.
• The Congress has adopted subject to ratification
  the following amendments to the Constitution

8
CONSTITUTION CONT.

• Article 22, which will ensure that the general
  regulations shall be binding on all member
  countries.
• Article 25 is also amended to provide for the
  people responsible for the signature,
  authentication, ratification and other forms of
  approval of the Acts by the Union

9
CONSTITUTION CONT.

• Article 27 gives member countries a right to
  accede to any additional protocol and to the
  other Acts of the Union at any time.
• Article 29 was also amended and it now gives
  member countries a right to present, either to
  congress or between congresses, proposals
  concerning the Acts of the Union.

10
GENERAL REGULATIONS OF UPU

• The General Regulations have been drawn to secure
  the application of the Constitution and the
  functioning of the Union.
• The Regulations of the Union further make
  provision for parties to have a right to vote
  they must be member States of the Universal
  Postal Union.

11
GENERAL REGULATIONS CONT.

• For South Africa to have voting rights and to
  participate fully in the UPU activities in the
  next Universal Postal Union Congress, it must
  have ratified the Decision taken during 1999
  Beijing Congress.
• The Acts and Decisions have been concluded and
  agreed upon by UPU member Countries for securing
  the application of the Constitution and the
  general functions of the Union.

12
BODIES THAT HAVE BEEN CONSULTED

• Department of Justice Constitutional Development
  (Chief State Law Advisor)
• The State Law adviser has scrutinised the Final
  acts and Decision of the 1999 Beijing Congress
  with a view to possible conflict with domestic
  law
• They are of the opinion that there is no such
  conflict.

13
BODIES CONSULTED CONT.

• 2. Department of Foreign Affairs (Office of the
  Chief Law Advisor, International Law advised as
  follows
• South Africa has signed both the Constitution and
  the Convention of the Universal Postal Union on
  10 July 1964.

14
BODIES CONSULTED CONT.

• The 1999 Acts and Decisions regulates matters
  which were previously not catered for in the
  Constitution and Convention and serves to
  facilitate the organisation and improvement of
  postal services in an acceptable manner for the
  benefit of all member countries.

15
BODIES CONSULTED CONT.

• The additions and amendments are not in conflict
  with South Africas International obligations.
• The Regulations of the Union provide for parties
  who are members of UPU to have voting rights.

16
CONCLUSION

• In terms of Section 231 (2) of the constitution
  of the Republic of South Africa, parliament is
  requested to ratify the Final Acts and the
  decisions of the plenipotentiary conference.

17
THANK YOU