Established in 1990, the AICEP is an international scientific and technical association, both non-governmental and not-for-profit, that aims to promote closer relations between its members in order to contribute to the harmonisation, development and modernisation of Communications in Portuguese-speaking countries and territories, specifically through actions promoting knowledge and training and cooperation for development.
It implemented the visionary act of integrating communications entities at its heart, both postal and telecommunications operators, demonstrating a clear vision of convergence and complementarity between these two aspects of the sector. Another visionary approach was to bring together its members, not according to geographic criteria, but through proximity of language and culture.
It later innovated by taking account of the fact that, in the development of communications, there is a strong, complex and interactive relationship between operators and regulators, but that, as distinct units, they are still complementary parts of one same body, which is communications.
And following the natural dynamism and strategic development of the communications sector, which cannot be separated from content, the AICEP, still innovating, incorporated ‘content’ (television) at its heart, in May 2013, thus reinforcing and consolidating its role as a representative association that is increasingly inclusive of the various areas of Communications in the Portuguese-speaking world. With extensive plans for training and cooperation for development, and headed by CTT Correios de Portugal, the AICEP is thus a space of convergence and the only global association that combines postal services, telecommunications, content and regulators, with the mission of promoting and supporting the sustainable development of communications in Lusophone countries.
Given the importance it already has in the Portuguese-speaking world as a whole, not just because of its illustrious past, but also in its more current aspects as an instrument of unity between peoples, a vehicle of culture and a tool for business and diplomacy, CTT Correios de Portugal cannot allow the AICEP’s event ‘35 Years of Coming Together’ to go unmarked and is commemorating it with the issue of a new stamp series, part of its official philatelic plan for 2025.
Opportunely, this idea has been adopted by several Portuguese- -speaking countries and territories, invited by CTT Correios de Portugal to share in evoking this event in postage stamps issued in each of the countries in question. As a result, the Designated Postal Operators of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde and Macau decided to join Portugal in this philatelic commemoration in the form of a Joint Lusophone Issue, which will be launched on 13 May 2025 in Salvador de Baía, Brazil, on the occasion of the Official Opening Session of the 32nd AICEP Forum of Lusophone Communications 2025.
João Caboz Santana Chairman of AICEP
