Edouard Dayan Director General International Bureau, Universal Postal Union Rural development opportunities through postal financial services Rome, 24 November 2010

The three dimensions of the global postal network: The physical dimension: 660 000 post offices worldwide The electronic dimension: EDI network operated by the UPU The financial dimension: money transfers, payments of invoices or social benefits, savings, micro credit, assurances, loans, etc. (financial inclusion)

1.5 billion people worldwide use Posts for financial services 400 million people have postal accounts

The UPU vision To provide all citizens of the world with access to efficient, reliable, secure and affordable electronic payment products, and to link these with basic account-based financial services

355 rural post offices Tariffs reduced by 30 to 50% Volumes increase by 61% Connexion between West African countries and with other regions

New proposals in the Asia-Pacific and Central Asia regions Provide access to remittance and social payment services: to more than 800 million rural citizens in 7 countries through 150 000 rural post offices