The Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) is a specialized institution of the African Union. Its main objective is to coordinate all activities aimed at developing postal services on the African continent.

PAPU was established by the constitutive Plenipotentiary Conference of African ministers in charge of postal services, held in 1980 in Arusha, Tanzania. The Conference had been convened by the OAU Secretary General following a decision by African Heads of State and Government during their summit in Libreville, Gabon, of 2nd to 6th July in 1977.

The Union was established by the Heads of State and Government of the then Organization of African Union (OAU), pursuant to a Resolution taken during the aforementioned meeting in Libreville. Thereafter, the Convention formally establishing PAPU as a specialized agency of the OAU was signed during the Constitutive Plenipotentiary Conference held on 18th January 1980 in Arusha.

The Council of Ministers of the OAU met during its thirty-fifth ordinary Session in Freetown, Sierra Leone from 18th to 28th June, 1980 recalling its resolution CM/Res. 586 (XXIX) which accepted the Pan African Postal Union as a specialized Agency/ institution on postal matters.