[afripv6-discuss] ICANN begins implementing Africa strategy

[Latif LADID ("The New Internet based on IPv6")]

ICANN begins implementing Africa strategy

http://www.itworld.com/internet/347545/icann-begins-implementing-africa-stra
tegy 

Training, policy engagement, partnerships, incubation and entrepreneurship
are key areas for Africa

March 08, 2013, 12:36 PM — ICANN's CEO and President Fadi Chehadé was at the
group's Multistakeholder Internet Governance meeting in Africa this week
with the message that it is a new season at ICANN and Africa has a big role
to play.

ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) has identified
training, policy engagement, partnerships, incubation and entrepreneurship
as the key areas in implementing its Africa strategy.

That strategy was unveiled last August and was meant to find ways to improve
Africa's participation within the Internet's governing body.

"In order to make this reality, ICANN has to change; it has been
America-centric, because the Internet has its history in the USA, but now,
all of us own the Internet and have a role to play in Internet growth," said
Chehadé.

Chehadé announced that ICANN global operations will be offered from three
hubs, Los Angeles, Istanbul and Singapore, to cover the major time zones.
The Istanbul office will have an IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority)
liaison, who will be African and will understand African issues. Many
African countries are still struggling with management of country code Top
Level Domains (ccTLDs).

"We need more money and resources in Africa; we will partner with existing
organizations," Chehadé said. Those include the Africa Telecommunications
Union, the ITU, the Internet Society, AfriNIC and the African Union. The
ICANN representative in the Indian Ocean will be stationed at AfriNIC
offices in Mauritius, he added.

ICANN has arranged to hold DNS Security Extension (DNSSEC) workshops in
Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Tunisia, Egypt and South
Africa.

One of the major challenges facing Africa is lack of development in the DNS
business, with many people in the region depending on international
companies and services. Currently, Africa has five ICANN-accredited
registrars.

"ICANN is willing to work hard with partners in Africa to raise the number
of accredited registrars from the current five to 25 in the next 18 months.
We will sit with the ICT industry and understand what we can do to make the
Registrar Accreditation Agreement more Africa-friendly. It may take
partnerships with banks and the insurance industry," Chehadé said.

Working with local businesses to promote growth in the DNS industry will
also promote employment and business growth in the region, he said.