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| [[Image:UnderConstruction.png]] | | '''DotAfrica''' may refer to: |
| | * [[.africa]], a proposed [[New gTLD Program|New gTLD]] |
| | * [[DotAfrica.org]]/[[DotAfrica Organization]], a technical forum for the discussion of the .africa TLD. |
| | * [[Registry.Africa]], a subsidiary of [[UniForum SA]] the AU-backed bid for .africa. |
| | * [[DotConnectAfrica]], another applicant for .africa. |
| | * [[.dotafrica]], a applied-for string by [[DotConnectAfrica]] that was later announced to be a mistake. |
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| '''DotAfrica''' ('''.africa''') is a proposed New [[gTLD]] for the promotion of African Identity (businesses, people and culture) on the Internet. There are currently several known applicants vying for the TLD. These entities include [[Dot Connect Africa]] (DCA), a Mauritius based not-for-profit, non-partisan organization founded by [[Sophia Bekele]]; the Africa Top Level Domain ([[AfTLD]]) Organization, a non-profit organization also established in Mauritius headed by [[Vika Mpisane]]; and the African Registry Consortium ([[ARC]]), owned and operated by [[Domain Name Services (Pty) Ltd.]] and [[Convergence Partners (Pty) Ltd.]].
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| ==Background==
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| DotAfrica was originally proposed by non-African companies during [[ICANN]]'s first new gTLD application round in 2000. The application was strongly opposed, however, by some African professionals. They perceived that the application was not beneficial for the African continent. Subsequently, in 2002, those professionals who were in opposition to the original application began development of a draft operational model for a DotAfrica managed by Africans.<ref>[http://www.nepad.org/system/files/Background%20note%20%20on%20DotAfrica%20-Final%20version%20ENG.pdf African Union Briefing Note on .Africa]</ref> Since then, several African entities has been interested in the implementation of DotAfrica as a new gTLD, including DCA, AfTLD, and ARC.
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| During the 2009 African Union conference at Johannesburg, South Africa, the AU Ministers expressed their support of the DotAfrica proposal and acknowledged its possible benefits for the development of the Internet within the African continent. The Ministers adopted a resolution to establish .africa as a continental TLD for use by organizations, businesses and individuals with guidance from African Internet agencies.<ref>[http://www.nepad.org/system/files/Background%20note%20%20on%20DotAfrica%20-Final%20version%20ENG.pdf African Union Briefing Note on .Africa]</ref> In addition, the African Union was mandated by its Member States to establish cooperation and partnership with Internet stakeholders, as well as in the preparation and submission of an application for DotAfrica as new gTLD to ICANN.<ref>[http://www.africandiplomacy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=308%3Adotafrica-a-specific-internet-namespace-for-africa&catid=139%3Ascience-et-technology&Itemid=90&lang=en DOTAFRICA - A specific internet namespace for Africa]</ref>
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| ==DotConnectAfrica Bid for DotAfrica==
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| In 2006, Sophia Bekele, initiated the proposal to develop the DotAfrica gTLD through her non-profit organization DotConnectAfrica (DCA), which would serve as the sponsor and registry operator. She first presented her proposal to the African Members of the [[ICANN Board]] as well as to African members from various different groups within the ICANN community at [[ICANN 28]] in Lisbon. In her presentation, Bekele emphasized the need and significance of the .africa domain name to reach and enrich the global internet community. She pointed out that .africa would enable users to express their membership in a larger Pan-African and African community, and also allow Africa to take its rightful place alongside [[.asia]] and [[.eu]]. In addition, Bekele cited that the DotAfrica proposal complies with the objectives of the [[WSIS]] to empower developing countries using ICT, as well as to the policies of the African Union, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and the Africa Drive Project for the development of the continent.<ref>[http://www.slideshare.net/Nyosef/dotafrica .Africa's Map in the Digital Inclusion: A Common Voice for Africa By Sophia Bekele]</ref>
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| Since then, Bekele has actively campaigned for the .africa proposal among organizations and communities in the African region. In 2008, Bekele announced DCA's DotAfrica initiative during the public forum at the ICANN Paris Meeting.<ref>[http://www.dotconnectafrica.org/2008/06/22-june-2008-paris-icann-dot-africa-initiative-announced-icann-paris-meeting/ 22 June 2008 – Paris ICANN: DotAfrica Initiative announced at ICANN Paris meeting]</ref>
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| ===AUA Letter of Endorsement to DCA DotAfrica Project===
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| On August 27, 2009, the African Union Authority (AUA) expressed its support for DCA's DotAfrica Project, also expressing a willingness to provide assistance in the coordination of the initiative with the African Ministers and Governments. Furthermore, the AUA endorsed the DCA initiative as a while. The letter was signed by AUA Chairman Jean Ping.<ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/31565131/African-Union-AU-Endorsement-of-DotConnectAfrica#fullscreen:on African Union Commission Letter, Subject: Endorsement of the Dot Africa (.africa) Initiative]</ref>
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| On May 12, 2011, however, the African Union Commission retracted the endorsement made by AUA Chairman Jean Ping to DCA. The AUC clarified that during the Members States meeting, the African Union Ministers in charge of Communication and Information Technologies had decided to allow competition among organizations interested in sponsoring and operating the proposed .africa gTLD. The AUC pointed out that it was not supporting or endorsing any individual or organization. In addition, the AUC announced that entities must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI), on which they would base their selection and endorsement.<ref>[http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102516344150-107/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>
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| ===DCA Reaction to African Union EOI===
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| DCA criticized the decision of the African Union to implement the process of submitting EOI before giving its endorsement to a particular entity related to the ICANN application to become the registry operator of DotAfrica as a new gTLD. In a statement, DCA pointed out that AU's objective to implement transparency and accountability in the EOI process "sounds hollow and unbelievable" and emphasized that "the AU
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| clarification is untruthful to the extent that it does not acknowledge that DCA was given an endorsement by the AU." DCA also said that the EOI process was already tainted because the AU Task Force openly expressed its support to the AfTLD during the 2011 annual African ccTLD event in Ghana.Furthermore, DCA encouraged all entities to ignore the AU EOI process and requested the AU Commission to stop the process immediately.<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>
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| ===DCA Yes to DotAfrica Campaign===
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| DCA and its delegation from Africa attended the [[ICANN 40]] Meeting in San Francisco on March 13-18, 2011. Apart from participating to the different activities of ICANN, DCA also took the opportunity to introduce its Yes to DotAfrica campaign and talked to registry vendors about DCA's EOI to apply for DotAfrica to become one of the new gTLDs. During the ICANN 40, DCA claimed that it received support from majority of the members of the ICANN society on its DotAfrica initiative. Sophia Bekele, Executive Director of DCA said that collaboration and non-competitive collaboration is possible and should be considered. Her organization is open to work out a discussion in order to identify roles and responsibilities. She further said, "We will welcome guidance from all African Internet agencies in our organized effort; as well as the same from our international partners”.<ref>[http://www.dotconnectafrica.org/2011/03/yes2dotafrica-campaign-successful-icann-40-san-francisco-ca/ Yes2dotAfrica Campaign successful at ICANN 40 in San Francisco, CA]</ref>
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| ==AfTLD Bid for DotAfrica==
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| On March 9, 2011, AfTLD Chairman Vikas Mpisane announced that it will seek the endorsement of the African Union in connection with AfTlD's application with ICANN to become the registry operator of the proposed .africa as a new gTLD. According to Mpisane, its organization is interested managing both DotAfrica and its French version .afrique since 50% of Africans speak French. The organization is confident that it will be successful on its bid for the DotAfrica project because the support expressed to them by the African community, African governments and its close relationship with other Africa internet organizations such as [[AfNOG]], [[AfriNIC]] and [[AfrISPA]].<ref>[http://www.aftld.org/html/english/news_dotafrica.html AfTLD takes on .africa]</ref>
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| Following its announcement to seek the AU endorsement, during the 5th Annual African ccTLD Event in Accra, Ghana on May 2011, Ghana Minister of
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| Communications Haruna Iddrissu and [[Nii Quaynor|Dr. Nii Quaynor]], Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Internet Task Force expressed their support to AfTLD's bid to become the registry operator of DotAfrica.<ref>[http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102516344150-101/Post_Event_Press_release_final+AftLD.pdf AfTLD concludes a successful annual concludes a successful annual African ccTLD event in Accra]</ref>
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| Meanwhile, the African Registry Consortium (ARC) expressed its willingness to partner with AfTLD and provide technical, operational and financial resources to prepare a good application and gain the approval of ICANN to sponsor and manage the DotAfrica registry.<ref>[http://www.africanregistry.net/content.php?contentID=1 ARC Executive Summary]</ref>
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| ==References==
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| {{reflist}}
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| [[Category:Glossary]]
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