[AfrICANN-discuss] Re: AfrICANN Digest, Vol 65, Issue 90

[Gideon]

*Official response by DotConnectAfrica to Brian's  post on behalf of Alice
on KICTANET*

*
*

* First,* the deliberate *distortion that AUC/UniForum has submitted an
application for .AFRICA is unwarranted and quite misleading,* and this
should not be *treated as 'fact'*. The true fact is that the AUC is not an
applicant. Only UniForum is the applicant acknowledged by ICANN. Therefore,
it is *untruthful and rather disingenuous on your part to present the AUC
as an applicant - either as a co- or joint applicant to UniForum*. Everyone
should know that the AU has not applied to ICANN for anything, so there is
no AUC application the way that you have been distorting 'facts' to suit
your purpose.

 *Second,* though you have listed many things, the most important thing
that you have left out is that the *UniForum application was not submitted
on behalf of either the African Union Commission, African governments,
the African  Community or African Internet Community*. You should have
listed this as '*fact'*, but you have not. Therefore*, there is actually no
community ownership of the Applied-for string *so your use of the term
*'official
AUC endorsed application for the dotAfrica (.Africa) Top Level Domain*' is
rather *specious and a misnomer*.   Against this background, how is the
UniForum application, in your estimation, *"a collaborative African
initiative"?*  One would expect at least that if it is a collaborative
African initiative, *then the ownership of the TLD by the community should
have been properly demonstrated by a community application conveyed as an
application on behalf of the African Community for a .AFRICA Community TLD*.


 In the absence of this, we still see the UniForum application as a *deceptive
ploy* that  used the purported support of the AU Commission to garner
support from African governments to enable them provide support for an
application that *will benefit a special interest group*.  *The way we see
it is quite simple: DCA Trust will continue to expose this fraud for what
it truly is*.  If the AUC provided support to UniForum to apply on behalf
of the African Community, then we believe that “*a Community TLD application
* “for .AFRICA should have been submitted by UniForum to ICANN.

 *Third,* you seem to make much of a process that was "*mandated by African
Heads of State (OR Tambo Declaration) and African Minister’s in charge of
ICT (Abuja Declaration)" to justify your 'facts'*. Would these African
Heads of States and Ministers *not demand some form of
accountability regarding why a community TLD application for .Africa was
not submitted by Uniforum?*   Since you seem to know many facts regarding
the so-called 'African Union Commission (.Africa) application, perhaps you
should help clarify for everyone's benefit why a Community TLD application
for .Africa was not submitted by Uniforum.



*Fourth,*  you have tried to make much over the fact that the *UniForum
application is AU-supported*, and that *the "application meets and exceeds,
the minimum evaluation criteria set by ICANN for application of Geographic
strings." Alas, the evaluation is not only on the basis of the evaluation
criteria for 'geographic strings'*. The evaluation criteria is actually
more comprehensive, and covers a wide range of issues such as *technical,
operational, financial criteria; coupled with terms & conditions, legal
issues, etc.*  We remain confident that the Uniforum application
will fail based on the scope of its separate agreement with the African
Union Commission.  We prefer to leave such issues to the Evaluation and the
outcome of any Dispute Resolution.

 *Fifth,* the application submitted by DCA Trust is for the geographic name
'AFRICA', pronounced as 'DotAfrica'. *This is for a 6-character ASCII string
*. The application submitted by DCA Trust was correctly designated by ICANN
as referring to a geographic name. Your understanding that it is for
'dotdotAfrica' is incorrect.  Our published part of application is posted
and available here
http://gtldresult.icann.org/application-result/applicationstatus/applicationdetails/1276

*Finally*, it is important for us to note that you have become *openly
supportive of the UniForum application*, and we therefore hope that you
will not *use any of your official affiliations either within the Kenyan
government or the ICANN GAC* to influence things in their favour. We
caution you not to be official or unofficial spokesperson of UniForum, and
allow the applications that have been submitted to ICANN to be evaluated
fairly without any undue interference on your part or on the part of the
group that you now seem to represent in the most unabashed manner .

DotConnectAfrica.



*Brian's Posting Below:*



*From:* Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe at gmail.com>
*To:* africann at afrinic.net
*Sent:* Thursday, July 26, 2012 9:53 PM
*Subject:* Re: Fw: [AfrICANN-discuss] Help with .africa history

*Facts Regarding the African Union Commission (.Africa) application*
* *
1.    The African Union Commission’s (AUC) involvement in the dotAfrica
(.Africa) Top Level Domain (TLD) process has been mandated by African Heads
of State (OR Tambo Declaration) and African Minister’s in charge of ICT
(Abuja Declaration).
2.    In fulfilling its mandate the AUC has, in accordance with an open and
transparent Request for Proposal (RFP) process, officially endorsed
UniForum SA t/a the ZA Central Registry (ZACR) to apply for and launch the
dotAfrica (.Africa) TLD.
3.    The AUC/ZACR, in accordance with the procedures and standards
prescribed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
(ICANN), has officially lodged an application with ICANN for the delegation
of the (.Africa), under reference number: 1-1243-89583. This application
constitutes the official AUC endorsed application for the dotAfrica
(.Africa) Top Level Domain.  Further details of this official application
is available at:
http://gtldresult.icann.org/application-result/applicationstatus/applicationdetails/1184

4.    There is a competing private application, for a confusingly similar
string, lodged by DotConnectAfrica Trust. The application for the
dotdotAfrica (.dotAfrica) TLD string, under reference number 1-1165-42560.
5.    The AUC/ZACR’s application meets and exceeds, the minimum evaluation
criteria set by ICANN for application of Geographic strings.
6.    The AUC/ZACR’s application, is correctly designated as a geographic
application in accordance with the criteria and processes outlined in
ICANN’s Applicant Guidebook.
In particular:  *Africa (and therefore .Africa) is a clearly designated
geographic area as defined in the UNESCO “Composition of macro geographical
(continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and
other groupings” list (http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm).
*Therefore the designation of the official dotAfrica (.Africa) TLD string
application, as a geographic name, is technically and procedurally correct.
The "geographic evaluation process" that this application is subject to
provides sufficient checks and balances for the protection of interests and
rights of African governments and the pan-African community.
7.    The AUC endorsed dotAfrica (.Africa) application has been, and
continues to be, a collaborative African initiative involving African
governments, ICT stakeholders and the broader African community.
In this regard the stated mission and objective of the AUC’s officially
endorsed application is enshrined in its answers to question 18 of the
Application, which is publicly available on the ICANN New gTLD website
http://gtldresult.icann.org/application-result/applicationstatus/applicationdetails/1184



  [image: logo]
*Brian Munyao Longwe*
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On Fri, Jul 27, 2012 at 9:18 AM, <africann-request at afrinic.net> wrote:

> Send AfrICANN mailing list submissions to
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> than "Re: Contents of AfrICANN digest..."
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. Re: [***SPAM***] [AfrICANN-discuss] Fwd: [AfrICANN-44] Africa
>       Strategic plan (McTim)
>    2. Re: Fw: [AfrICANN-discuss] Help with .africa history
>       (Brian Munyao Longwe)
>    3. Re: Help with .africa history (Seun Ojedeji)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 23:08:11 -0400
> From: McTim <dogwallah at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [***SPAM***] [AfrICANN-discuss] Fwd: [AfrICANN-44] Africa
>         Strategic plan
> To: Sophia Bekele <sophiabekele at yahoo.com>, africann at afrinic.net
> Message-ID:
>         <CACAaNxj2Wpr7j68X5zZEHO=
> vSMrBo25oQOy6KeKdaj4o6K_N+A at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Hi Sophia,
>
> On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 9:15 PM, Sophia Bekele <sophiabekele at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
> > McTim-
> > I actually responded to you yesterday on this matter, you could not have
> > seen it, since it was not posted, also my question on the UN.
>
>
> I see the confusion now, when I said un-moderated that means NOT moderated.
>
> I read your UN moderated list as "United Nations".
>
> So while I have your attention, is it actually the case that DCA meant
> to apply for .africa but do to a typo, you have actually applied for
> .DotAfrica?
>
> In the interests of transparency and openness, I would be curious to
> see any correspondence on this issue between ICANN and DCA.
>
> At the moment, I am confused as to what has actually been applied for
> (and perhaps ICANN is as well).
>
>
> --
> Cheers,
>
> McTim
> "A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A
> route indicates how we get there."  Jon Postel
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2012 07:53:33 +0300
> From: Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: Fw: [AfrICANN-discuss] Help with .africa history
> To: africann at afrinic.net
> Message-ID:
>         <
> CAHSdPfbX0Y1k46mXc9psrNcGNSNrNzKKThZVTSnQigXNeDHSTg at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
>
> *Facts Regarding the African Union Commission (.Africa) application*
>
> * *
>
> 1.    The African Union Commission’s (AUC) involvement in the dotAfrica
> (.Africa) Top Level Domain (TLD) process has been mandated by African Heads
> of State (OR Tambo Declaration) and African Minister’s in charge of ICT
> (Abuja Declaration).****
>
> 2.    In fulfilling its mandate the AUC has, in accordance with an open and
> transparent Request for Proposal (RFP) process, officially endorsed
> UniForum SA t/a the ZA Central Registry (ZACR) to apply for and launch the
> dotAfrica (.Africa) TLD.****
>
> 3.    The AUC/ZACR, in accordance with the procedures and standards
> prescribed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
> (ICANN), has officially lodged an application with ICANN for the delegation
> of the (.Africa), under reference number: 1-1243-89583. This application
> constitutes the official AUC endorsed application for the dotAfrica
> (.Africa) Top Level Domain.  Further details of this official application
> is available at:****
>
> http://gtldresult.icann.org/application-result/applicationstatus/applicationdetails/1184
>   ****
>
> 4.    There is a competing private application, for a confusingly similar
> string, lodged by DotConnectAfrica Trust. The application for the
> dotdotAfrica (.dotAfrica) TLD string, under reference number
> 1-1165-42560.**
> **
>
> 5.    The AUC/ZACR’s application meets and exceeds, the minimum evaluation
> criteria set by ICANN for application of Geographic strings.****
>
> 6.    The AUC/ZACR’s application, is correctly designated as a geographic
> application in accordance with the criteria and processes outlined in
> ICANN’s Applicant Guidebook.****
>
> In particular:  *Africa (and therefore .Africa) is a clearly designated
> geographic area as defined in the UNESCO “Composition of macro geographical
> (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and
> other groupings” list (http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm
> ).
> *Therefore the designation of the official dotAfrica (.Africa) TLD string
> application, as a geographic name, is technically and procedurally correct.
> The "geographic evaluation process" that this application is subject to
> provides sufficient checks and balances for the protection of interests and
> rights of African governments and the pan-African community. **
>
> 7.    The AUC endorsed dotAfrica (.Africa) application has been, and
> continues to be, a collaborative African initiative involving African
> governments, ICT stakeholders and the broader African community.****
>
> In this regard the stated mission and objective of the AUC’s officially
> endorsed application is enshrined in its answers to question 18 of the
> Application, which is publicly available on the ICANN New gTLD website
>
> http://gtldresult.icann.org/application-result/applicationstatus/applicationdetails/1184
>  ****
>
> ** **
>
>   [image: logo]
> *Brian Munyao Longwe*
>  | Mobile: 254715964281
> http://mashilingi.blogspot.com
>   <http://www.facebook.com/brianmunyao>
> Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/brianmunyao>
> <http://www.twitter.com/blongwe> Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/blongwe>
> <http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/brian-munyao-longwe/0/32/254>
> LinkedIn<http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/brian-munyao-longwe/0/32/254>
> Contact me: [image: Skype] blongwe
>  Want a signature like mine?
> <
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> >
>
>
>
> On Fri, Jul 27, 2012 at 4:17 AM, Dr Yassin Mshana <ymshana2003 at gmail.com
> >wrote:
>
> > Hi
> > In this world, Diplomacy matters a great deal - may stop wars or start
> > wars when it fails.
> >
> > From what  have reading and based on the trend of events... there is a
> > belief that the AU was not used/misused properly - why was it important
> to
> > run to AU before the African Community which AU represents as an
> > Organisation?
> >
> > I wish to absolve AU from this saga since I am convinced to believe that
> > the Advisory to AU 'is in persons' were or are  involved in the <.africa>
> > saga.
> >
> > In addition, it is difficult to rule out  that to 'hold' a
> > meeting purported to be between AU and ICANN 44 in Prague is  a simple
> > thing to do without the necessary sanctions -  to dig deeper I for one
> > would like t ask, "was such type of meetings in the standing schedules of
> > AU?" this is question which is seeking for enlightenment.
> >
> > To dig deeper for facts, was the meeting in Prague scheduled as per AU
> > mandate ?  that is short of asking similar question to what happened
> during
> > ICANN-43 Dakar when Hon Ministers were in attendance. The Diplomacy of
> the
> > Internet seems to be different whereby a meeting may take place without
> > observing the protocol of letting all know? OR were the Meetings of
> >  extraordinary strategic importance that we know about them later?
> >
> >
> > On 27 July 2012 00:24, McTim <dogwallah at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >>
> >> On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 11:19 AM, Y Mshana2003 <ymshana2003 at gmail.com
> >wrote:
> >>
> >>> My problem is the way the AU was brought in and used in this saga..
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >> How would you have done it?
> >>
> >> The Guidebook didn't specify HOW it would be done, and that is perhaps
> >> something that we can blame ICANN for (since ICANN is ourselves
> however, we
> >> only have ourselves to blame).
> >>
> >> --
> >> Cheers,
> >>
> >> McTim
> >> "A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A
> route
> >> indicates how we get there."  Jon Postel
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> AfrICANN mailing list
> >> AfrICANN at afrinic.net
> >> https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > *Independent Consultant*
> > c/o DFID-Sierra Leone
> > 5 Off Spur Road, Wilberforce
> > Freetown,SIERRA LEONE
> > Skype: yassinmshana1, Mobile:+23276926697, Fax: (+232) 22235769
> > *Do You really NEED TO PRINT THIS?*
> >  * "The illiterates of the 21st century are not those who cannot read or*
> > * write** but those who cannot learn, relearn and unlearn" Alvin Toffler*
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > AfrICANN mailing list
> > AfrICANN at afrinic.net
> > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann
> >
> >
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> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2012 07:06:41 +0100
> From: Seun Ojedeji <seun.ojedeji at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [AfrICANN-discuss] Help with .africa history
> To: africann at afrinic.net
> Message-ID:
>         <
> CAD_dc6jq_02Qo62G4-VnWvC4OgEXHu6vsHf8X1uvy6zPApHt+g at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Thanks Badru,
>
> Your comment is the take home for me; I agree that politics exists in other
> continent however I also like to note that there is just something distinct
> about that of Africa! Why for instance do we need to have two applications
> for the same initiative, can't we just collectively agree on one thing and
> do the pushing in the same direction. May plead that the oldies amongst us
> help we young generation set a stand on this...let's begin to have an era
> in Africa where we disagree to agree on issues. The death of the president
> of Ghana and the smooth transitional process gives my hope for Africa!
> Let's stop this disagreeing to disagree model...our collective work should
> speak  louder and not us speaking for our personal motives!
>
> Cheers!
>
> OJ
> sent from google nexus
> On Jul 26, 2012 4:00 PM, "Badru Ntege" <badru.ntege at nftconsult.com> wrote:
>
> > Members
> >
> > It pains me to see that we are all here with the best of intentions but
> > seem to have a hard time sharing the same vision which is the digital
> > emancipation of our beloved continent.  In a world of many independent
> and
> > committed individuals we have to be prepared to seek synergy.  Not a win
> > loose position but win win positions.  In this continent of billions with
> > so much to do why do we spend too much of our energies fighting battles
> > where they will be no winners.
> >
> > .africa or dotafrica whichever tld ends up being licensed is to serve the
> > african community.  So let's start sharing how we will do this and exert
> > less of our energies in historical battles.
> >
> > Individual battles need to end.
> >
> > My 2 bits
> >
> > Badru Ntege
> > CEO
> > NFT Consult Ltd
> > Www.Nftconsult.com
> >
> > "Vision without execution is hallucination."
> > -- Thomas A. Edison
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On 26 Jul 2012, at 10:35, Dr Yassin Mshana <ymshana2003 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > Even me I am getting tired of repeating myself - there should be no War -
> > it is only a matter of Fair Competition!
> >
> > Bringing in AU in the competition is wrong, worse even is including GAC
> in
> > this business area. These bodies have their specific mandate -
> overwhelming
> > issues and initiatives need to be sorted by them eg. NEPAD, ICT
> Development
> > etc.
> >
> > The poison was put in the well when groupings started to emerge and when
> > AU was misused/misdirected! As an African one could not stay quiet while
> > bullying and character assassinations are taking place...?
> >
> > Good day everyone
> >
> > Yassin
> >
> > On 26 July 2012 07:22, Kivuva <Kivuva at transworldafrica.com> wrote:
> >
> >> It seems the art of war by Sun Tzu is playing quite well with the
> .africa
> >> gTLD. With the war of words going round, its hard to ascertain who is
> right
> >> of wrong.
> >>
> >> But all the same, it has been said over and over again, .africa being a
> >> geographical string, the winner will be the one who has the blessings of
> >> the African community, and AU has put one foot into the fray.
> >>
> >> Is there an africawide GAC committee? If yes, what it's stand?
> >>
> >> --
> >> ______________________
> >> Mwendwa Kivuva (lordmwesh)
> >> For
> >> Business Development
> >> Transworld Computer Channels
> >> twitter.com/lordmwesh
> >> www.transworldAfrica.com  | Fluent in computing
> >> kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> AfrICANN mailing list
> >> AfrICANN at afrinic.net
> >> https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > *Independent Consultant*
> > c/o DFID-Sierra Leone
> > 5 Off Spur Road, Wilberforce
> > Freetown,SIERRA LEONE
> > Skype: yassinmshana1, Mobile:+23276926697, Fax: (+232) 22235769
> > *Do You really NEED TO PRINT THIS?*
> >  * "The illiterates of the 21st century are not those who cannot read or*
> > * write** but those who cannot learn, relearn and unlearn" Alvin Toffler*
> >
> >  _______________________________________________
> > AfrICANN mailing list
> > AfrICANN at afrinic.net
> > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > AfrICANN mailing list
> > AfrICANN at afrinic.net
> > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann
> >
> >
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> End of AfrICANN Digest, Vol 65, Issue 90
> ****************************************
>
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