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→AUC Retracts Endorsement
===AUC Retracts Endorsement===
===AUC Retracts Endorsement===
The African Union Commission issued a statement on May 12, 2011 retracting the statement of endorsement issued by Chairman Jean Ping to DCA. The AUC explained that during the Member States meeting, the African Union Ministers in charge of Communications and Information Technologies decided to allow competition among organizations interested in sponsoring and operating the .africa TLD. The AUC also clarified that it did not support nor endorse any individual or organization and announced that entities interested must submit their Expression of Interest (EOI), which would served as the Commission’s basis for endorsement and selection.<ref>[http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102516344150107/Communique_Statement_by_AUC_on_Dot_Africa_May_10th__AO+MY_+BK_Comments%5b1%5d.pdf COMMUNIQUE: The Africa Union Commission Clarification on Dot Africa]</ref>
The African Union Commission issued a statement on May 12, 2011 retracting the statement of endorsement issued by Chairman Jean Ping to DCA. The AU TaskForce also clarified that it did not support nor endorse any individual or organization and announced that entities interested must submit their Expression of Interest (EOI), which would served as the Commission’s basis for endorsement and selection.<ref>[http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102516344150107/Communique_Statement_by_AUC_on_Dot_Africa_May_10th__AO+MY_+BK_Comments%5b1%5d.pdf COMMUNIQUE: The Africa Union Commission Clarification on Dot Africa]</ref>
DCA criticized AUC’s retraction statement and its plan to implement the EOI submission competition process for application endorsement. DCA claimed that the AUC’s objective for accountability and transparency was "hollow and unbelievable," because the Commission failed to acknowledge the previous endorsement issued by Chairman Ping. Furthermore, DCA pointed out that the EOI process would be biased, as the [[AU Task Force]] had already expressed its support for [[AfTLD]] during the 2011 annual African [[ccTLD]] event in Ghana. DCA encouraged all organizations to disregard the AU EOI process and asked AUC to cease the request.<ref>[http://www.prlog.org/11503736-yes2dotafrica-say-no-to-african-union-expression-of-interest-eoi-for-dotafrica.html Yes2DotAfrica Say "No" to African Union Expression of Interest (EOI) for DotAfrica]</ref><ref>[http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102516344150-101/Post_Event_Press_release_final+AftLD.pdf event in Accra]</ref>
DCA criticized AUC’s retraction statement and its plan to implement the EOI submission competition process for application endorsement. DCA claimed that the AUC’s objective for accountability and transparency was "hollow and unbelievable," because the Commission failed to acknowledge the previous endorsement issued by Chairman Ping. Furthermore, DCA pointed out that the EOI process would be biased, as the [[AU Task Force]] had already expressed its support for [[AfTLD]] during the 2011 annual African [[ccTLD]] event in Ghana. DCA encouraged all organizations to disregard the AU EOI process and asked AUC to cease the request.<ref>[http://www.prlog.org/11503736-yes2dotafrica-say-no-to-african-union-expression-of-interest-eoi-for-dotafrica.html Yes2DotAfrica Say "No" to African Union Expression of Interest (EOI) for DotAfrica]</ref><ref>[http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102516344150-101/Post_Event_Press_release_final+AftLD.pdf event in Accra]</ref>
==DCA's response to the AU endorsement and the conflict that arose==
DCA believes that its AU endorsement was never rescinded. Admittedly, there was an attempt to withdraw the endorsement using a forged letter mentioed above , so this wicked action did not work, and DCA's endorsement remains valid. Since there are two different competing visions for .AFRICA - one that is oriented towards serving an 'African Community' and 'African Internet Community' and ownership by the AU and African governments and African ccTLDs who already have their 2-code country TLDs; and DCA's vision that is based on an open, generic standard TLD that serves both the global Internet community, but with particular focus on Africa/Pan-African interests and organizations that have an interest/stake in Africa.
The conflict arose simply because certain people who wanted to hijack the .AFRICA for themselves tried to use an extraordinary process under the political and diplomatic cover of the AU to stop DCA from participating in the process, but DCA believes that the new gTLD process is managed by ICANN, and that it would exercise its democratic right to apply by following the new gTLD program guidelines set by ICANN, and let the final decision be based on the outcome of the ICANN Evaluation.
The other group believes that the rights to the .AFRICA gTLD belongs to the AU representing African governments, but DCA insists that the .AFRICA gTLD is an Internet resource that belongs to ICANN, and let ICANN give it to whoever has the winning application based on the set criteria. In a nutshell the whole conflict is centered around the simple fact that DCA refused to accept the bullying and intimidation of a certain vested interest group, and decided to put its faith on the ICANN process.
===Continuous Promotional Campaign at ICANN Meetings & Other Forums===
===Continuous Promotional Campaign at ICANN Meetings & Other Forums===