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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.

'''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.]].

During the 2009 African Union conference at Johannesburg, South Africa, the Ministers expressed their support on the DotAfrica proposal and acknowledged its possible benefits for the development of the Internet within the African continent . The AU Ministers adopted a resolution to ""Establish dot Africa as a continental Top-Level Domain 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 partnerships with internet stakeholders as well as in the preparation and submission of an application for DotAfrica as new gTLD to the [[ICANN|Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers]].<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>

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.

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>

DotAfrica was first proposed by non-African companies during ICANN's first round of application to implement new gTLDs in 2000, however the application was strongly opposed by some African professionals. They perceived that the application was not beneficial for the African continent. Subsequently in 2002, those professionals who oppose the application started to develop a draft for the operational model for DotAfrica which will be 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, some African entities has been interested in the implementation of DotAfrica as a new gTLD. These entities include [[Dot Connect Africa]] (DCA), a Mauritius based not for profit, not 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.]] (DNS) and [[Convergence Partners (Pty) Ltd.]].

==DotConnectAfrica Bid for DotAfrica==

==DotConnectAfrica Bid for DotAfrica==