The Role of Postal Networks in Expanding Access to Financial Services: Volume I

This paper discusses the role of the postal network in expanding access to financial services in Egypt, Kazakhstan, Romania, Namibia, Sri Lanka, Uganda and Vietnam. The paper reviews:

• The public postal operator within the postal sector, and within the broader context of the communications sector;
• The roles of the postal network, and State and privately-owned banks, from the perspective of the financial sector development, with particular focus on payments' systems development and microfinance.

For each country, the paper analyzes:Postal sector development, examining in detail:

• Performance indicators national postal organizations;
• Competition from telecommunications and information technology (ICT);
• Postal sector reform;
• Corporation: "Laws and Decrees";
• Commercialization and pricing;
• ICT-based modernization;
• Regulatory and market-based reforms.

Postal financial services in a market perspective, looking at:

• Postal savings;
• Organization;
• Management information systems (MIS) and product profitability;
• Postal payments;
• International remittances;
• Financial sector background;
• ICT and financial Services;
• Microfinance and the microfinance institution (MFI) market;
• Donor support;
• Options for development

The paper also conducts the 'strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats' (SWOT) matrix analyses, and offers conclusions and policy recommendations for the development of the postal networks of each country.