Postal Stamps Honoring Transparency Launched

Members of the head table sign to show their support for the new postal stamps that reflect the country's commitment to transparency. Photo by Karen Azucena, USAID

With support from the U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Government of El Salvador recently launched a postal stamp series entitled, “Transparency and Anti-Corruption Fight.”

The new postal stamps honor the Inter-American Convention against Corruption and the United Nations Convention against Corruption. The series includes three stamps with the legend: “Transparency Benefits Us All.” The total print run is 100,000 stamps, which will be distributed throughout the country by the El Salvador Post Office.

USAID has supported El Salvador’s compliance with these two international conventions over the past seven years. Efforts include training for the public and private sectors and technical assistance for the preparation of compliance reports and for the adoption of transparency mechanisms, such as the Ethics Law and the Access to Information Law.

“This symbolic yet significant postal stamp unveiling ceremony shows the commitment to promote international conventions against corruption as a citizens’ right to an improved and more transparent public administration,” said USAID Deputy Director William Elderbaum during the launching ceremony for the postal stamps.

The ceremony was also presided over by the Secretary of Strategic Affairs, Francis Hato Hasbun; the Vice-Secretary for Transparency and Anti-Corruption, Marcos Rodriguez; the Minister of Governance, Ernesto Zelayandia; the National Postal Service Director, Margarita Quintanar de Ortez; United Nations Development Program Deputy Resident Representative, Richard Barathe; and Organization of American States Representative, Ronalth Ochaeta.