As a sign of warming Israeli-Saudi ties Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi is set to become the second Israeli minister ever to visit Riyadh when he heads there on Monday to attend a Universal Postal Union conference.
He follows in the footsteps of Tourism Minister Haim Katz who was in Riyadh last week to attend a conference of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The barrier to official Israeli representation, however, was broken earlier in September when a lower-level delegation attended the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s World Heritage Conference.
Karhi is set to address the UPU’s fourth Extraordinary Congress on Wednesday, which is open to the UPU’s 192 member states.
Shlomo Karhi’s response to the allegations
A delegation from Israel’s postal service had been expected to join him, but chose to attend the event virtually, Karl’s office reported.
The Extraordinary Congress, which is a plenipotentiary meeting of the UPU’s 192 member countries, will decide on several key proposals aimed at ensuring a sustainable future for international postal services.
Saudi Transportation Minister Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser told those assembled on Sunday that by hosting the conference his country had signaled it’s “commitment to strengthen collaboration among member states, develop delivering postal services, promote e-commerce, stimulate the digital economy, and incorporate cutting-edge technologies into their postal and logistical operations.”
Enhancing postal services through third-party private companies is among the topics the conference plans to discuss.
Karhi has recently come under scrutiny while implementing the nearly two-year-old plan to completely privatize the Israel Postal Company.
“The Government of Israel,” read a July statement, “through the Government Companies Authority, hereby announces that it is considering selling, by way of private sale, 100% of the shares of Israel Postal Company.”
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
Comments are closed.