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Arab League, Euromed updates and others

by Richard Zimmermann

The following provides some information to complete description from issues released over the part couple of yeras and provided by friend collectors.

Kenneth Sequeira (Dubai) discovered a new stamp from Iraq to be added to the 80th Arab League anniversary series issued on March 22, 2025. The stamp is available in panels of 4×6 stamps and officially cancelled covers were also produced, but those do not show a date. We do not know the exact date of issue of this stamp, but of course it has been integrated in the catalogue. As 22 countries are members of the Arab League and as so far, only 10 countries have issued a stamp in the frame of this anniversary, it can be expected that other countries can be discovered as having participated. In particular, philatelic programs for Bahrein, Jordan or Oman, which are used to participate to such anniversaries, should be explored. Thanks for any feedback.

The Azerbaijan souvenir sheet, counterpart of the Türkiye souvenir sheet from June 10, 2026, appeared on Delcampe. At this stage we are missing the exact date of issue, but there are great chance that it could be the same as for Türkiye. For that reason, this issue remains filed as a Twin issue [T]. The two souvenir sheets are identical, but with mirrored illustrations.

A Mauritania – Morocco joint issue was supposed to be released on June 23, 2026. Eventually, the stamps from Morocco became available on July 29, 2026 and the Moroccan description notice is stating that this would be the second North-African joint issue involving Morocco, confirming indirectly the participation of Mauritania. Unfortunately, so far, no information is available from the Mauritanian side. The Moroccan stamps issued in se-tenant pairs and in miniature sheet of 5 pairs represent the City of Aït‑Ben‑Haddou Ksar, Morocco and the Chinguitti Mosque, in the capital city of the Adrar Wilaya, Mauritania. Both sites are listed as UNESCO world heritage (information provided by Roland Montagne, France). Any additional information is welcome.

In the frame of the Euromed stamp series dated July 13, 2026, Jordan issued three stamps in a same souvenir sheet as well as a non-perforated smaller souvenir sheet. Actually, in parallel, it was discovered that Jordan issued also four different illustyrated postal cards (postal stationery). These products have been added to the catalogue (Information provided by Fabio Bonacina, Italy, and Med Achour Ali Ahmed, Algeria).

We are still missing information about Albania and Egypt, two countries that were supposed to be involved in this same 2026 Euromed series. At the level of the 2026 Europa stamps we are also missing information about Albania, as well as Ireland (but this one is supposed to be issued by September 10, 2026).

Horses, map and traditions

by Richard Zimmermann

On December 5, 2025, Uruguay and Romania issued joint stamps at the occasion of the 90th anniversary of their diplomatic relations establishment. The commonly accepted topic was horse breeding illustrated by two stamps showing the Romanian Lipizzan horse and the South American Criollo horse. The Uruguayan stamps have not been seen so far, but their issue confirmed by an announcement describing a se-tenant pair of stamps printed at 2,500 samples in miniature sheets of 4 pairs (so, only 625 miniature sheets available). At the other end, Romania is still complicated in terms of proposing different sub-types and their limited number of prints. In this country the following items are available: the two stamps, issued in panes of 32, within which the next to last row is printed upside down to allow creating tête-bêche samples (printed 2×5,472 stamps, i.e., 2×171 sheets only – a part was taken to create first day covers), 2 miniature sheets with 3 stamps and one label at the top right position (122×91 mm – printed 2×1,550 miniature sheets), one illustrated souvenir sheet with a pair of non se-tenant stamps (120×164 mm – printed 3,150) and another illustrated souvenir sheet with the non-se-tenant stamps, same size, but imperforate and numbered, available only in a folder produced at 277 (!) samples.

The 40th anniversary of the relationship between Oman and Russia was finally released on December 10, 2025 (after 5 successive announcements of changes of issue dates). The issue initially intended to celebrate the Omani explorer Ahmed bin Majid and the Russian traveler Afanasy Nikitin, led finally to a common stamp showing an old map, taken from the manuscript Kharīdat al-ʻAjāʼib wa Farīdat al-Gharāʼib, or ‘The Pearl of Wonders and the Uniqueness of Things Strange’ (written 1419), by Oman scientist Umar ibn Muẓaffar al-Wardī (died 1447). In both countries, the stamps have been released as miniature sheets [3×3], containing 9 stamps for Oman, but with central label for Russia, so, only 8 stamps in the Russian miniature sheet. Oman released another souvenir sheet, showing the two explorers, with a perforation centered over the portrait of the Omani traveler. This item shows a design which could have been used by Russia, simply by shifting the perforations, but this was not translated in a Russian product. The choice of the map as common design, may also explain the delays, probably upon reluctancy of the Russian post to use the Omani proposal (which is not a standard Russian stamp printing form).

On December 11, 2025, Indonesia and Serbia surprisingly issued stamps to celebrate relationship illustrated with typical local houses and a couple dressed in local costume. For both countries, the stamps are issued se-tenant, in miniature sheets of 4 pairs.

The first images of the December 19, 2025, Laos Thailand joint issue have been made available, but details for Laos are still missing. The Thailand stamps were issued in miniature sheets of 5 se-tenant pairs, chessboard ordered.

We are still missing information from Vietnam about the joint issue with Cyprus issued on December 1, 2025. So far we had only access to the FDC cover from Cyprus.

Most of this information was provided by Kenneth Sequeira (Dubai) and Enzo Cafaro (Italy). Thanks to both of them.

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