<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Dear Colleagues,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Below please find a summary of the discussions on the above policy proposal:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-add-space: auto"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">1.<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">There was a question on what the policy proposal was trying to achieve and how it differs from the current policy development process (PDP) policy: The author said the objective was to improve the current policy by clearly defining the parameters of the process. He also pointed out the following weaknesses in the current policy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-add-space: auto"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">No explicit requirements as to when minutes of public policy meetings should be published.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-add-space: auto"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">There is no process to track the changes that happen to a policy as it is modified and progresses through the PDP - for example previous versions of a proposal are not available on the afrinic website.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-add-space: auto"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">There is no room for the community to relieve the PDP-MG of duty if they are not performing to expectations.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-add-space: auto"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">The existing policy talks about a Board of Trustees but AfriNIC doesn't have one, it instead has a Board of Directors.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-add-space: auto"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">There is no room for conflict resolution for example in a situation when a member of the community challenges the decisions of the PDP-MG.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-add-space: auto"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">2.<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Some discussants raised issues with the authors claim to be 'creating' a policy development process in the region as one does exist. If indeed this proposal aims to address the lapses in a current policy, it should be framed as such rather than how it is currently put - an attempt to reinvent the wheel. The proposed change in the names of the policy mailing list and working group were seen as superficial.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-add-space: auto"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">3.<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Key differences between the proposal and the existing policy as explained by the author are as follows:</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-add-space: auto"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Any member of the community can be a part of the Policy Development Working Group while currently the PDP-MG is limited to three people.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-add-space: auto"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">This proposal allows for the PDML to be fired, a provision which is lacking in the existing policy. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-add-space: auto"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">A provision is made whereby if urgency is justified, a proposal could be fast-tracked instead of waiting for at least six months for one of the public policy meetings.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Regards,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Vincent Ngundi</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Chair, AfriNIC PDP-MG</span></p>