By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Regulators and policymakers
at the Arab Postal Regulation Forum 2026 in Doha, Qatar, have examined reforms
to postal regulation, competition in digital markets and measures to strengthen
consumer trust as the sector adapts to e-commerce and evolving digital markets.
The discussions took place
on the first day of the forum, organised by the Universal Postal Union (UPU),
with participants focusing on how postal regulation can support innovation,
investment, fair competition and consumer protection across the Arab region.
In the first session, titled
“Postal Sector Reform in the Arab Region,” Siva Somasundram, Director of
Policy, Regulation and Markets at the UPU, outlined how postal legislation and
regulatory models are adapting to the growth of e-commerce, the entry of new
market players and changing consumer expectations.
International regulatory
practices provided a common reference point for the discussions on modernising
postal regulation and responding to changes in postal markets.
The second session,
“Economic Regulation and Competition in Digital Postal Markets,” examined the
broader delivery ecosystem, proportionate licensing and emerging forms of
market power associated with digital platforms and data.
Participants discussed the
need for technology-neutral regulation that can support investment and
innovation while maintaining competition and protecting essential postal
services.
Consumer protection and
service quality were addressed during the third session, titled “Consumer
Protection, Service Quality and Postal Trust.”
Discussions focused on the
end-to-end customer experience, including shipment tracking, predictable
delivery, accessible complaint mechanisms and fair compensation.
Participants also examined
how complaints data can be used to strengthen regulatory oversight, while
highlighting transparency and personal data protection as important foundations
for consumer trust.
Across the three sessions,
participants stressed the importance of sharing regulatory experiences among
Arab regulators to strengthen regional postal markets, facilitate cross-border
e-commerce and improve consumer protection.
