<div dir="ltr">Pierre,<div><br></div><div>I've worked in development for much of the past 20 years and before that spent 10 studying rural poverty and its causes. Again the key will be how do you make it easy for emerging entrepreneurs (large and small) to get into the DNS industry. In Namibia, particularly because of its apartheid past, we have given special advice and discounts to formerly disadvantaged people/companies that want to enter the sector. </div>
<div><br></div><div>Again a big hurdle is technical. Many of the small operators start out by using commercial host in/DNS services. Those that grow (because not all of them will grow) move on to their own hosting set up once the cash flow warrants. For them to start offering DNS services, you need to make it easy for them. That means getting the ccTLD registers to provide automated platforms for users.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I can suggest that you contact the Namibia Information Communication Technology Association (NICTA), <a href="http://www.nicta.org.na">http://www.nicta.org.na</a> for Namibian business participation.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Ben<br><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Feb 2, 2013 at 5:05 PM, Dandjinou Pierre <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:pdandjinou@gmail.com" target="_blank">pdandjinou@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div>Ben, Tim and all!<br><br>The Addis event is actually about how to get the African businesses more involved in the DNS industry sector, and this came as a priority in the Africa strategy. I suspect this first event should be one of a series that African registries/registrars and other association of businesses themselves should be organizing on their own, without any sponsoring, and without waiting for ICANN and other agencies. ICANN is just starting the process. I would thus be grateful if the listers could just point to any African business leader who should be invited to the Addis event.<br>
<br></div><div>At this point, I can only thank those who indicated their interest for the event; ICANN and the I* partners are doing what is possible to have more sponsored participants, but of course, I should advise those who do not hear from ICANN in following days to look for other sources of funding! <br>
<br>Other details for participating (Visa and hotels) will also be available on the <a href="http://africanncommunity.org" target="_blank">africanncommunity.org</a> which is under construction.<br><br>Best regards<br>Pierre<br>
VP, Africa<br>
ICANN<br><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div class="im">On Sat, Feb 2, 2013 at 3:15 PM, McTim <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:dogwallah@gmail.com" target="_blank">dogwallah@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
</div><div><div class="h5"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi Ben,<br>
<br>
I am happy to have the chance to engage constructively in this thread.<br>
<div><br>
On Sat, Feb 2, 2013 at 9:04 AM, Ben Fuller <<a href="mailto:abutiben@gmail.com" target="_blank">abutiben@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
> Can someone explain the need for ICANN approved registrars in Africa?<br>
<br>
<br>
</div>If there were more registrars on the continent, there would be greater<br>
technical capability, more DNS clue, greater uptake of local/regional<br>
TLDs, more business (read profit), which leads to more registrars,<br>
which leads to more business. It's "a rising tide lifts all boats"<br>
kind of virtuous circle.<br>
<div><br>
<br>
>What does this do for the continent? With hundreds of private companies across the globe that have become ICANN approved registrars, what is stopping African companies from doing the same?<br>
<br>
</div>Lack of awareness perhaps? Perhaps it is percieved as too hard to<br>
become accredited when one can just become a reseller?? I think this<br>
is one question you could have answered by folk at the event!<br>
<div><br>
There are enough African companies with the capital to do so. What<br>
will a hand wringing session in Ethiopia do? Don't tell me you want a<br>
donor Programme.<br>
<br>
<br>
</div>I don't think a donor scheme is part of the plan.<br>
<br>
I hope there won't be much hand-wringing either.<br>
<span><font color="#888888"><br>
<br>
--<br>
Cheers,<br>
<br>
McTim<br>
"A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A<br>
route indicates how we get there." Jon Postel<br>
</font></span><div><div>_______________________________________________<br>
AfrICANN mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:AfrICANN@afrinic.net" target="_blank">AfrICANN@afrinic.net</a><br>
<a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann" target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann</a><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div></div></div><br><br clear="all"><div class="im"><br>-- <br><div>Pierre Dandjinou<br>Cotonou - 229 90 087784 / 66566610</div>
<div>Dakar 221 77 639 30 41</div>
<div><a href="http://www.scg.bj/" target="_blank">www.scg.bj</a></div>
<div>skype : sagbo1953</div>
<div><br> </div>
</div></div>
<br>_______________________________________________<br>
AfrICANN mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:AfrICANN@afrinic.net">AfrICANN@afrinic.net</a><br>
<a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann" target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann</a><br>
<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>**********************************************<br>Dr. Ben Fuller <br><a href="mailto:abutiben@gmail.com" target="_blank">abutiben@gmail.com</a><br>
<a href="mailto:ben@fuller.na" target="_blank">ben@fuller.na</a> <a href="http://www.fuller.na" target="_blank">http://www.fuller.na</a><br>blog: <a href="http://www.fuller.na/" target="_blank">http://www.fuller.na/</a> skype: drbenfuller<br>
*****************************************
</div></div></div>