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'''MESWG or Middle East Strategy Working Group''' is a [[Working Group]] created by [[ICANN]] after [[ICANN]] in Prague. At that meeting, it was discussed that while the implementation of an engagement strategy plan was already underway in Africa, it was still required in the Middle East as well as Latin America and the Caribbean. In the last few months of 2012, ICANN held several meetings -- at events such as the [[Arab IGF]], [[IGF]], and [[ICANN 45]] in Toronto -- and met with Middle East stakeholders regarding ICANN engagement in the region.<ref name="plan">[https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/40935325/MEStrategy-FINAL.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1368213673000&api=v2  ICANN Engagement Strategy in the Middle East], ICANN.org. Published 2013 May 10. Retrieved 2015 November 17.</ref>

'''The Middle East and Adjoining Country Strategy Working Group''' (MEAC-SWG) is a [[Working Group]] created by [[ICANN]] after ICANN44 in Prague. At that meeting, it was discussed that while the implementation of an engagement strategy plan was already underway in Africa, it was still required in the Middle East as well as Latin America and the Caribbean. In the last few months of 2012, ICANN held several meetings -- at events such as the [[Arab IGF]], [[IGF]], and [[ICANN 45]] in Toronto -- and met with Middle East stakeholders regarding ICANN engagement in the region.<ref name="plan">[https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/40935325/MEStrategy-FINAL.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1368213673000&api=v2  ICANN Engagement Strategy in the Middle East], ICANN.org. Published 2013 May 10. Retrieved 2015 November 17.</ref>

After these meetings, [[ICANN 44]] called for the creation of a Working Group to develop the engagement strategy for the Middle East, and invited members of the community and constituency to join the effort. Twenty-two individuals from eleven countries expressed interest, and come from a variety of areas, such as the governments, private sector, civil society, technical community, and academia.<ref name="plan"></ref>

After these meetings, [[ICANN 44]] called for the creation of a Working Group to develop the engagement strategy for the Middle East, and invited members of the community and constituency to join the effort. Twenty-two individuals from eleven countries expressed interest, and come from a variety of areas, such as the governments, private sector, civil society, technical community, and academia.<ref name="plan"></ref>

The geographic scope of the plan and Working Group include the following countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen -- as well as Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. The term MEAC ((Middle East and Adjoining Countries) comes from the fact that some of these countries fall under different regional structures such as [[APRALO]] and [[AFRALO]] for [[At-Large]] and [[APTLD]] and [[AFTLD]] for [[ccTLD]]s. Nonetheless, MESWG hopes to find the common ground between them when developing its strategy.<ref name="plan"></ref>

The geographic scope of the plan and Working Group include the following countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen -- as well as Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. The term MEAC ((Middle East and Adjoining Countries) comes from the fact that some of these countries fall under different regional structures such as [[APRALO]] and [[AFRALO]] for [[At-Large]] and [[APTLD]] and [[AFTLD]] for [[ccTLD]]s. Nonetheless, MEAC-SWG hopes to find the common ground between them when developing its strategy.<ref name="plan"></ref>

==Terms of Reference==

==Terms of Reference==

Tasks of the MESWG are to:<ref name="plan"></ref>

Tasks of the MEAC-SWG are to:<ref name="plan"></ref>

* Develop a three-year (2013-2016) regional engagement strategy for the Middle East that focuses on the needs and priorities of the region within the scope of ICANN's role

* Develop a three-year (2013-2016) regional engagement strategy for the Middle East that focuses on the needs and priorities of the region within the scope of ICANN's role

* Identify specific strategic areas, along with the problems and challenges of each area and their corresponding recommendations and actions

* Identify specific strategic areas, along with the problems and challenges of each area and their corresponding recommendations and actions

==Members==

==Members==

Twenty-two individuals from eleven countries expressed interest in joining the MESWG:<ref name="plan"></ref><ref name="members">[https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/40935327/MESWG-members%5B1%5D.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1382456369000&api=v2 Middle East Strategy Working Group Members], ICANN.org. Retrieved 2015 November 17.</ref>

Twenty-two individuals from eleven countries expressed interest in joining the MEAC-SWG:<ref name="plan"></ref><ref name="members">[https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/40935327/MESWG-members%5B1%5D.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1382456369000&api=v2 Middle East Strategy Working Group Members], ICANN.org. Retrieved 2015 November 17.</ref>

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