Publication: The Role of Postal Networks in Expanding Access to Financial Services : Egypt's Postal Finance Services
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2004-12
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2013-08-07
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This paper discusses the role of the postal network in expanding access to financial services in Egypt. It 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 are also reviewed from the perspective of the financial sector development, with particular focus on payments systems development and microfinance. The ultimate goal of postal reform is to create a system where modern technology and a free flow of information benefit the customer. A modern, efficient postal service that utilizes the latest information technology will not only increase Egypt's social and economic development, but will also contribute significantly to the creation of an Egyptian information society.
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“World Bank. 2004. The Role of Postal Networks in Expanding Access to Financial Services : Egypt's Postal Finance Services. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/14895 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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Publication The Role of Postal Networks in Expanding Access to Financial Services : Country Case - Egypt's Postal Finance Services(Washington, DC, 2004-12)This paper discusses the role of the postal network in expanding access to financial services in Egypt. It 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 are also reviewed from the perspective of the financial sector development, with particular focus on payments systems development and microfinance. The ultimate goal of postal reform is to create a system where modern technology and a free flow of information benefit the customer. A modern, efficient postal service that utilizes the latest information technology will not only increase Egypt's social and economic development, but will also contribute significantly to the creation of an Egyptian information society.Publication Worldwide Landscape of Postal Financial Services : Asia Region(Washington, DC, 2012)Postal networks in the nine countries in the Asian region profiled here have 289,067 post offices. In many of these Asian countries, post offices have provided payments and savings services for more than 130 years. At the end of 2002, 335 million Asians had postal savings accounts, for a total balance of USD 83 billion (about 20 percent of the adult population). In China and Vietnam, postal savings have only been recently established, but are growing quickly. In addition to payment services, it provides domestic money transfers, including collecting bill payments. In some countries, e.g. Thailand, the role of postal networks in the payments system is significant. In general, however, transaction volumes for savings and payments together appear low, suggesting that many of these accounts may be dormant and may play only a marginal role in the payment system. Vigorous reform is required to develop intrinsically strong and competent institutions. The issue is not limited to repositioning postal financial services in the financial sector (instead of the public postal sector), the issue is also repositioning the postal network as the front-end of the financial sector and the modern information services (instead of the back office for mail processing, collection, and distribution). A vigorous approach will therefore have to include assessment of options, such as participation of and/or alliances with privately managed financial institutions, cross-border co-operation, private postal agents, and a process and approach not necessarily dependent on the pace and course of postal reform.Publication Egypt - Setting Up a Postal Policy Unit within the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology(Washington, DC, 2007-09)This note proposes an organization chart, job descriptions, and budget needs; and singles out the short-term priority issues, such as tariff policy, universal service definition and funding mechanism, state of the competition, authorizations and licenses, and enabling legislation. While addressing these issues is a priority, it is also recommended that the Postal Policy Unit build a structured dialogue with the sector stakeholders in the Government of Egypt (GoE), Egyptian National Post Office (ENPO), unions, private sector operators, and customers (institutional, corporate, and private customers) at the national level, and the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and World Trade Organization (WTO) at the international level.Publication Vietnam - The Role of Postal Networks in Expanding Access to Financial Services Country case : Vietnam's postal finance services(Washington, DC, 2004-01-01)This paper discusses the role of the postal network in expanding access to financial services in Vietnam. It reviews the public postal operator within the postal sector and within the broader context of the communications sector. The roles of the Vietnam postal network and post bank are also reviewed from the perspective of the financial sector development, with particular focus on payments systems development and micro finance. While this country case on Vietnam can stand alone, it is an integral part of this large study of the potential of postal networks to coordinate with financial service providers in 7 countries (Egypt, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Romania, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and Vietnam) and 5 regions (Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and Northern Africa). Five years after its introduction, the Vietnamese Postal Savings Corporation (VPSC) can look back on an impressive record of successes. With its 920 post offices (of 3,000), VPSC operates the second-largest financial service network in the country. It developed as a channel for mobilizing small household deposits, nearly 400,000 individuals keep accounts with the VPSC, and it has mobilized about 1 percent of the nation's savings. It has also pioneered modern cashless payment services, and provides payroll and card-based services. The next step in its development is the integration of the postal payment services into its operations. However, after an initially fast growth track, VPSC currently faces increasing stagnation in its growth, mainly due to government limitations on its institutional and regulatory framework. Changes are required to enable sustainable growth of VPSC and including the post offices in its provision of low-threshold access to basic financial services.Publication The Role of Postal Networks in Expanding Access to Financial Services : Kazakhstan's Postal Finance Services(Washington, DC, 2004-01-01)This paper discusses the role of the postal network in expanding access to financial services in Kazakhstan. It 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 are also reviewed from the perspective of the financial sector development, with particular focus on payments systems development and microfinance. While this country case on Kazakhstan can stand alone, it is an integral part of this large study of the potential of postal networks to coordinate with financial service providers in 7 countries (Egypt, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Romania, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and Vietnam) and 5 regions (Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and Northern Africa). Within Central Asia and the other countries of the former Soviet Union, Kazakhstan's postal network is widely regarded as a leader and pioneer in postal innovation, setting an example for other postal operators in the region. An in-depth assessment of Kazakhstan's postal network development options could also be a model to guide other postal networks.
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