Somali Postal Service

Last updated
Somali Postal Service
Boostada Soomaaliya
Agency overview
Type Postal service
Jurisdiction Federal Government of Somalia
Headquarters Mogadishu, Somalia
2°04′00″N45°22′00″E / 2.06667°N 45.36667°E / 2.06667; 45.36667
Parent agencyMinistry of Communications and Technology
Website moct.gov.so

The Somali Postal Service (Somali Post) is the national postal service of Somalia. It is part of the Federal Government of Somalia's Ministry of Communications and Technology. [1]

Contents

Somali Post operated postal services domestically and internationally, before ceasing operations in 1991. [2]

Somali Post officially relaunched on 1 November 2013, [3] following a memorandum of understanding signed with Emirates Post, the Emirati national postal service, in April 2013.

A postal coding and numbering system for each of Somalia's eighteen administrative regions was developed in October 2014. [4]

History

General

In early 1991, the Somali Postal Service had 100 post offices, with a total staff of between 1,665 [2] to 2,165 personnel. [5] The national postal infrastructure was later completely destroyed during the civil war, with Somali Postal officially suspending operations in October 1991. [6] Residents subsequently had to turn to traditional methods of dispatching parcels and letters. [7] They also communicated via handwritten letters sent through acquaintances and mobile and email messaging services. [8]

In order to fill the vacuum, a partially reconstituted Somali Post signed an agreement in 2003 with the United Arab Emirates' Emirates Post to process mail to and from Somalia. Emirates Post's mail transit hub at the Dubai International Airport was then for a time used to forward mail from Somalia to the UAE and various Western destinations as well as to route mail destined for the country. [9]

Relaunch

Concurrently, the Somali Transitional Federal Government began preparations to revive the national postal service. In 2011, a Somali minister approached the Universal Postal Union (UPU) for support in rehabilitating the Somali postal service. The UPU subsequently reached out to other international postal bodies, recommending bilateral cooperation with the Somali authorities. Several countries expressed interest, notably the UAE. [5]

The Somali government's overall reconstruction plan for Somali Post is structured into three phases spread over a period of ten years. Phase I will see the reconstruction of the postal headquarters and General Post Office (GPO), as well as the establishment of sixteen branch offices in the capital and seventeen in regional bases. As of March 2012, the Somali authorities have re-established Somalia's membership with the UPU and taken part once again in the UPU's affairs as well as liaised with other UN agencies. [2] They have also rehabilitated the GPO in Mogadishu, with an initial staff of 25 postal workers ready to handle the mail again. [5] Additionally, the government appointed an official postal consultant to provide professional advice on the renovations. Phase II of the rehabilitation project involves the construction of 718 postal outlets from 2014 to 2016. Phase III is slated to begin in 2017, with the objective of creating 897 postal outlets by 2022. [2]

In December 2012, then Minister of Information, Posts and Telecommunications Abdullahi Elmoge Hersi announced that Somalia's new federal government planned to officially relaunch the Somali Postal Service in 2013. [7] Hersi subsequently signed a memorandum of understanding with Emirates Post President Fahad al Hosani on 22 April 2013, wherein Dubai is to serve as a hub for handling all parcels bound for or leaving Somalia. [10] [11] The UAE authorities also pledged to finance the first year of Somali Post's resumed operations. [11] Mediated by the UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein, the agreement represented the first step in the Information Ministry's plan to relaunch the national postal service. [10]

In November 2013, international postal services for Somalia officially resumed. The UPU is now assisting the Somali Postal Service to develop its capacity, including providing technical assistance and basic mail processing equipment. [3] In October 2014, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications also relaunched postal delivery from abroad. The postal system is slated to be implemented throughout the country via a new postal coding and numbering system. [4] According to the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Mohamud Ibrihim Adan, the relaunch's next phase will enable local residents to send letters to acquaintances overseas. [8]

Postal codes

As of October 2014, new postal codes have been developed for each of Somalia's eighteen administrative regions. The postal codes are two letters, such as AW for Awdal, BN for Banaadir, BR for Bari and SL for Sool. [4]

Additionally, numbers have been allocated for each of the provinces and their districts. [4]

Import regulations

Permit

The Somali Postal Service requires addressees within Somalia to have an import permit for all commercial goods. [12]

Prohibitions

Somali Post bans items on Australia Post's Dangerous and Prohibited Goods & Packaging Post Guide, including alcoholic beverages. Lottery tickets and promotional materials are likewise proscribed. [12]

Special documentation

In terms of special documentation on imports, Somali Postal Service requires that all incoming commercial goods be identified as commercial. Private packages must also be labeled as private instead of as gift only, personal effects or commercial. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Communications in Afghanistan</span>

Communications in Afghanistan is under the control of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT). It has rapidly expanded after the Karzai administration took over in late 2001, and has embarked on wireless companies, internet, radio stations and television channels.

An international reply coupon (IRC) is a coupon that can be exchanged for one or more postage stamps representing the minimum postage for an unregistered priority airmail letter of up to twenty grams sent to another Universal Postal Union (UPU) member country. IRCs are accepted by all UPU member countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Communications in Somalia</span> Somalia communications

Communications in Somalia encompasses the communications services and capacity of Somalia. Telecommunications, internet, radio, print, television and postal services in the nation are largely concentrated in the private sector. Several of the telecom firms have begun expanding their activities abroad. The federal government operates two official radio and television networks, which exist alongside a number of private and foreign stations. Print media in the country is also progressively giving way to news radio stations and online portals, as internet connectivity and access increases. In 2012, a National Communications Act was also approved by Cabinet members, and 2 October 2017, the president of Somalia Finally signed the National Communications Law, and became the official Law that regulated the ICT industry. Under that Law, National Communications Authority (NCA) of the federal Republic of Somalia has been established, with board of directors and a general manager. Somalia currently is ranked first in Africa for most affordable mobile data per gigabyte and 7th in the world.

The Universal Postal Union, established by the Treaty of Bern of 1874, is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration (CA), the Postal Operations Council (POC) and the International Bureau (IB). It also oversees the Telematics and Express Mail Service (EMS) cooperatives. Each member agrees to the same terms for conducting international postal duties. The UPU's headquarters are located in Bern, Switzerland.

Franking comprises all devices, markings, or combinations thereof ("franks") applied to mails of any class which qualifies them to be postally serviced. Types of franks include uncanceled and precanceled postage stamps, impressions applied via postage meter, official use "Penalty" franks, Business Reply Mail (BRM), and other permit Imprints (Indicia), manuscript and facsimile "franking privilege" signatures, "soldier's mail" markings, and any other forms authorized by the 192 postal administrations that are members of the Universal Postal Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.post</span>

.post is a sponsored top-level domain (STLD) available exclusively for the postal sector. It is the first STLD to be 100% secured by DNSSEC. .post aims to integrate the physical, financial and electronic dimensions of postal services to enable and facilitate e-post, e-finance, e-commerce and e-government services. The domain was approved by ICANN on April 8, 2005 as a sponsored TLD in the second group of new TLD applications evaluated in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Express mail</span> Accelerated mail delivery service

Express mail is an expedited mail delivery service for which the customer pays a premium for faster delivery. Express mail is a service for domestic and international mail, and is in most nations governed by the country's own postal administration. Since 1999, the international express delivery services are governed by the EMS Cooperative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parcel post</span>

Parcel post is a postal service for mail that is too heavy for normal letter post. It is usually slower than letter post. The development of the parcel post is closely connected with the development of the railway network which enabled parcels to be carried in bulk, to a regular schedule and at economic prices. Today, many parcels also travel by road and international shipments may travel by sea or airmail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postage stamps and postal history of the Palestinian National Authority</span>

The Palestinian National Authority began in 1994 to issue stamps and operate postal services as authorized by the Oslo Accords.

JSC Ukrainian Postal Service or Ukrposhta is the national postal service of Ukraine. It is a public company with 100% state ownership due to its strategic importance. In 1999–2015 it was a unitary enterprise of the government of Ukraine. Ukrposhta has been a member of Universal Postal Union since 1947 and the owner of national stamp issuing enterprise "Ukraine Stamps".

The Zambia Postal Services Corporation is also known as ZamPost is a state-owned enterprise in Zambia. ZamPost is the designated operator of postal services in Zambia. The history of postal services in Zambia dates back to 1896 when the first post offices were established at Abercorn, Fort Jemeson, and the Kalungwishi River, near Lake Mweru. However, these post offices did not enjoy international recognition until 1926, when the General Post Office, which was then a government department, was admitted to the general membership of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). In 1975 by an Act of Parliament, a statutory body was established to run both postal and telecommunications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postage stamps and postal history of Somalia</span>

The following is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Somalia. From the late 1800s to 1960, northwestern present-day Somalia was administered as British Somaliland, while the northeastern, central and southern part of the country were concurrently administered as Italian Somaliland. In 1960, the two territories were unified as the Somali Republic.

The Barbados Postal Service (B.P.S.) is the national postal operator of Barbados and operates as a department within the Government of Barbados where it reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Barbados Postal Service (B.P.S.) is headed by the acting Postmaster General, Sheila Greaves, who is responsible for maintaining the island’s postal services, subject to the laws of the island. In 1852, the Postal services for Barbados were reconstituted following the passage of local legislation enabling the delivery of inland postage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emirates Post</span>

Emirates Post is the official postal operator for the United Arab Emirates. It is a subsidiary of Emirates Post Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Somalia</span>

Agriculture in Somalia is a major employment activity and is the largest economic sector in the country. It contributes more than 65% to the national GDP from domestic distribution and exports to other parts of the continent, the Middle East and Europe.

Abdullahi Elmoge Hersi is a Somali politician. He served as the Minister of Information, Posts and Telecommunication of Somalia from November 2012 to January 2014.

The Caribbean Postal Union (CPU) is an association of the postal authorities of the following member countries:

References

  1. ↑ Ministry of Information, Posts and Telecommunications, Government of Somalia, 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Reconstruction of Somalia Post, Presentation to the U.P.U., Berne, Somali Ministry of Information, Posts and Telecommunications, 2 March 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2012. Archived here.
  3. 1 2 "International mail services officially resume in Somalia". Universal Postal Union. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Weekly Statement: Progress of the Somali Government". Diplomat News Network. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 "Union Postale - June 2013" (PDF). Universal Postal Union. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  6. ↑ "Royal Mail - Service update - International". Royal Mail. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  7. 1 2 "Somalia to revive its Postal cooperation next year, says minister". Bar-kulan. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Somalia's government launches postal service". BBC. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  9. ↑ Emirates Post and Somal Post sign agreement to establish money transfer and mail services, AMEinfo.com, 30 June 2003. Retrieved 9 December 2012. Archived here.
  10. 1 2 "Mail services could soon resume in Somalia". Universal Postal Union. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  11. 1 2 "UAE to finance postal service in Somalia". Sabahi. 24 April 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 "Australia Post - International Post Guide". Australia Post. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.