192 UPU Member Countries Agree to Adopt 'Riyadh Solution'

The UPU conference will continue in the capital, Riyadh, until October 5. SPA
The UPU conference will continue in the capital, Riyadh, until October 5. SPA
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192 UPU Member Countries Agree to Adopt 'Riyadh Solution'

The UPU conference will continue in the capital, Riyadh, until October 5. SPA
The UPU conference will continue in the capital, Riyadh, until October 5. SPA

The Fourth Extraordinary Conference of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in Riyadh announced the adoption of what has been referred to as the "Riyadh Solution" that enhances interconnection and integration in the global postal sector.

The decision is a result of discussions over the years, which resulted in major proposals and recommendations to develop the logistics sector, enhance cooperation between members of the UPU and other postal sector entities, and raise the quality of global postal services through the UPU opening its doors to expand the scope of its products and services.

The initiatives proposed in the Riyadh Solution also include the establishment of customized business models, aiming to facilitate the access of further parties other than the designated operators or official postal institutions to the services of the UPU.

The decision aims to enhance cooperation and partnership among members and improve postal services on a global scale, developing the global postal network and enhancing its interconnectedness.

The UPU conference will continue in the capital, Riyadh, until October 5, and will bring together decision-makers, experts, and stakeholders from around the world to review opportunities for improvement and discuss innovative solutions for the global postal sector. The Riyadh Solution is a major step forward in creating a more integrated and efficient global postal system that meets the evolving needs of people and businesses worldwide.



Ukraine Receives First 3 Bln Euro Tranche of G7 Loan from EU

An explosion of a drone after it hit an apartment building is seen in the sky during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 10, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
An explosion of a drone after it hit an apartment building is seen in the sky during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 10, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
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Ukraine Receives First 3 Bln Euro Tranche of G7 Loan from EU

An explosion of a drone after it hit an apartment building is seen in the sky during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 10, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
An explosion of a drone after it hit an apartment building is seen in the sky during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 10, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Ukraine received its first 3 billion euro ($3.09 billion) tranche of the European Union's portion of the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) loan agreed for Ukraine by the G7 group of countries, its prime minister Denys Shmyhal said on Friday.

It was the first tranche of EU loan secured by profits from frozen Russian assets, Shmyhal wrote on the Telegram app.

G7 leaders in October agreed to provide some $50 billion in loans to Ukraine via multiple channels.
"Today, we deliver €3 billion to Ukraine, the 1st payment of the EU part of the G7 loan. Giving Ukraine the financial power to continue fighting for its freedom – and prevail," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on social media platform X.

In other economic news, Ukraine's steel output rose by 21.6% in 2024 to 7.58 million metric tons, its producers union said late on Thursday, though fighting that is closing in on the country's only coking coal mine threatens to slash volumes this year.

Steel production has already suffered since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, which has led to the destruction of leading steel plants.

Ukraine, formerly a major steel producer and exporter, reported a 70.7% drop in output in 2022 to 6.3 million tons. It fell to 6 million tons in 2023.

The steelmakers' union said in October the potential closure of the Pokrovsk mine, Ukraine's only coking coal mine, could cause steel production to slump to 2-3 million metric tons in 2025.
Advancing Russian forces are less than 2 km (1.24 miles) from the mine, Ukrainian military analyst DeepState said on Friday.
The mine's owner, steelmaker Metinvest BV, said last month it had already halted some operations at the mine and two industry sources said it was operating at 50% capacity.
Producers have said they hope to find coking coal from elsewhere in Ukraine should the mine be seized by Russian troops, but imports would inevitably be needed which would raise costs.