Under 2006 legislation, the Department of State was assigned responsibility for formulation, coordination, and oversight of foreign policy related to international postal services and other international delivery services.
Highlights:
United States Nominates Candidate for Deputy Director General Post at the Universal Postal Union
In October 2010, the White House and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton approved the nomination of Mr. Dennis Delehanty, Director for Postal Affairs in the IO Bureau, as candidate for Deputy Director General of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). The UPU is a UN specialized agency responsible for coordinating a universal postal network among its 192 member countries. The election for Deputy Director General will be held in Doha at the next UPU Congress in October 2012 by a majority of the members present and eligible to vote.
Mr. Delehanty has a long track record of effective work within the UPU. From his role in the creation of the EMS (Express Mail Service) Cooperative – one of the UPU’s great success stories – to his six years of service on the Board of Trustees of the Quality of Service Fund (a type of development resource for the posts of developing countries), to his leadership on UPU results-based management and, more recently, his work on UPU financial and human resources policies, Mr. Delehanty has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to serve as Deputy Director General. Besides his seven years in Bern at the UPU’s International Bureau, Mr. Delehanty has served in key positions at the U.S. Postal Service and the Department of State. Biography»
U.S. Postmaster General Supports Dennis Delehanty’s Candidacy at the Universal Postal Union
On April 13, 2011 U.S. Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe addressed letters to countries around the world expressing his support for the candidacy of Dennis Delehanty for Deputy Director General at the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and encouraging them to vote for the U.S. candidate. In his letter, Mr. Donahoe noted that “The Universal Postal Union is at a crossroads as it works to ensure the future of universal postal services at a time of declining mail volumes and expanding electronic alternatives. Postal operators in developed and developing countries will need to face these challenges together...”. He also highlighted Mr. Delehanty’s well-rounded experience as a significant asset to the UPU if elected. These letters, which contain Mr. Delehanty’s resume, were translated into the working languages of the UPU. Letter of Support»
The Universal Postal Union
What is the Universal Postal Union?
Established in 1874, the Universal Postal Union (UPU), with its headquarters in the Swiss capital Bern, is the second oldest international organization.
The UPU coordinates international postal policies and procedures, including standards, remuneration, technical assistance, and collaboration with key stakeholders. All member countries are signatories of the UPU Convention, an intergovernmental treaty, making the UPU itself the primary forum for cooperation between designated postal operators worldwide.
Why is it Important?
Without the UPU, postal operators would have to negotiate separate bilateral agreements with every other operator with which it wanted to exchange international mail. More importantly, without the UPU, countries could not be guaranteed mail service to and from nearly every other nation around the globe.
History – World Post Day
The Treaty of Bern, establishing what is now the Universal Postal Union, was signed on October 9, 1874. We continue to celebrate the global postal network on October 9 each year as World Post Day.
The 1874 Treaty of Bern succeeded in unifying an international maze of postal services and regulations into a single postal territory for the reciprocal exchange of letters. The barriers and frontiers that had impeded the free flow and growth of international mail were finally pulled down. More History»
