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<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none"
align="center"><b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">African
Union Commission Communiqué on the declaration of the
Independent Review Panel (IRP) in the matter between Dot
Connect Africa (DCA) and the Internet Corporation for
Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">The
African Union Commission (AUC) is deeply concerned by the
final declaration of the Independent Review Panel (IRP) in the
matter between Dot Connect Africa (DCA) and the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">The
declaration raises serious questions on the role of
governments in the ICANN multi stakeholder model and the
broader Internet governance ecosystem as well as the
effectiveness and reliability of government protection
mechanisms as outlined in the new gTLD Applicants Guidebook </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">We
reiterate and re-emphasize that African governments mandated
the African Union Commission (AUC), through the Abuja
Declaration to “set up the structure and modalities for the
implementation of the dot Africa Top Level Domain”. The AUC
adopted an open and transparent process at the regional level
through the Request for Proposals (RFP) and at the end of this
process exclusively endorsed the application submitted by the
ZA Central Registry (ZACR) for the. Africa Top Level Domain,
dot Africa (.AFRICA)</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">Recalling
that African governments raised concerns in the Dakar
communiqué, regarding the protection of geographic names in
the new gTLD program and ICANN assured African governments
that there were adequate protections for geographic names,
such as. AFRICA contained in the new gTLD Applicants
Guidebook. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">We
note that in response to these assurances the AUC elected not
to pursue previous requests to have the. AFRICA TLD string
added to the reserve name list and through our endorsement of
the ZACR application for the. AFRICA TLD, the AUC became an
active participant in the new gTLD process. We participated in
the formulation and adoption of the geographic name protection
mechanisms as contained in the Applicant Guidebook. This set
of rules, applicable to all new gTLD applicants and affected
parties, was the result of a multi-stakeholder engagement
process that was eventually adopted by ICANN. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">We
reiterate that the processes leading up to the establishment
of the final Applicant Guidebook, and all material times
thereafter, including during the application and evaluation
periods, was open, transparent and provided several avenues
for applicants to engage with individual African governments,
the GAC and the ICANN board regarding any concerns raised. All
new gTLD applicants would have and should have, been acutely
aware of these considerations prior to submitting their
applications. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">We
recall that African governments, individually and collectively
through the mechanisms of the GAC, engaged with all reasonable
means at their disposal, as outlined in the Applicants
Guidebook, to: </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0
level1 lfo2;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span
dir="LTR"></span><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">Submit
public comments;</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0
level1 lfo2;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span
dir="LTR"></span><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">Raise
early warnings (which provided an opportunity for other
applicants to engage in an open and transparent manner with
the various governments regarding concerns expressed); and </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0
level1 lfo2;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span
dir="LTR"></span><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">Issue
GAC objections and GAC advice to the board.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">We
emphasize that GAC consensus advice contained in the 2013
Beijing communiqué was <span style="color:black">the
culmination of a lengthy process of public engagement in
order to provide fairness and transparency regarding
governments concerns and objections relating to geographic
name protections </span>and to provide rationale to the
board and ICANN community, including applicants, on future
government related responses to new gTLD applications.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""
lang="EN-GB">The Africa region, African Internet stakeholders,
the ZACR and AUC are the unfortunate victims of a
dysfunctional accountability process and an independent review
panel that did not delve more deeply to understand the new
gTLD process, the role of governments in that process and how
the ICANN multi stakeholder model functions in general. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""
lang="EN-GB"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""
lang="EN-GB">We note that while the IRP </span><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">does
not refute that governments, through the issuance of consensus
GAC Advice, formally objected to the DCA application, the
final declaration raises concerns about the role of government
engagement in the ICANN multi stakeholder model and more
broadly in the internet governance ecosystem. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""
lang="EN-GB"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""
lang="EN-GB">The AUC endorsed ZACR dot Africa (.Africa)
application has been, and continues to be, a collaborative
African led initiative involving African governments, ICT
stakeholders and the broader African community. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""><br>
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="75b63746-49da-4842-9895-f5d23d527d21"><b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#00B050">Directorate
of Information and Communication</span></b><strong><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#E36C09"> </span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height:15.0pt">
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#00B050">Directorate
of Information and Communication</span><strong><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#E36C09"> </span></strong><strong><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#00B050">|</span></strong><strong><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#E36C09">
</span></strong><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#00B050">Information
and Communication</span><strong><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#E36C09"> </span></strong><strong><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#00B050">|
</span></strong><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#00B050">African
Union Commission</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:12.75pt">
<p><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#00B050">Tel</span><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;color:#00B050">: </span><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#00B050">+251-11-5517700</span><strong><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;color:#00B050"> |</span></strong><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;color:#00B050"> </span><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#00B050">Fax:</span><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;color:#00B050"> <strong> |</strong> </span><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#00B050">E-mail:</span><strong><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;color:#00B050"> </span></strong><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#00B050"><a
href="mailto:DIC@africa-union.org" title="Click to
send email to Directorate of Information and
Communication"><span style="color:#00B050">DIC@africa-union.org</span></a></span><strong><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;color:#00B050"> | </span></strong><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#00B050">Web:<a
href="www.au.int" title="African Union Official
Website">www.au.int</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="75b63746-49da-4842-9895-f5d23d527d21"><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#00B050">Addis
Ababa</span><strong><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#00B050"> | </span></strong><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#00B050">Ethiopia</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<br>
<br>
On 01/08/2015 11:11, Barrack Otieno via kictanet wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAKX6dsEpQDj6N023-eZows3kndragd+9cew-saXLoS+SWcX8Ng@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Listers ,
FYI
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rinalia Abdul Rahim <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:rinalia.abdulrahim@gmail.com"><rinalia.abdulrahim@gmail.com></a>
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2015 09:56:01 +0800
Subject: [ALAC] John Jeffrey blog on .africa IRP
To: ALAC Working List <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:alac@atlarge-lists.icann.org"><alac@atlarge-lists.icann.org></a>,
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:afri-discuss@atlarge-lists.icann.org">afri-discuss@atlarge-lists.icann.org</a>
Dear ALAC and AFRALO,
Please find below a link to ICANN General Counsel's blog on the .africa IRP
ruling.
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap=""><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.icann.org/news/blog/africa-irp-declaration-clearing-up-some-facts">https://www.icann.org/news/blog/africa-irp-declaration-clearing-up-some-facts</a>
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">Best regards,
Rinalia
</pre>
</blockquote>
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