Sophia Bekele: Difference between revisions

Ms. Bekele was nominated  to serve on [[ICANN]]'s [[GNSO]] policy board from 2005-2007, under the Chairmanship of [[Dr. Vinton Cerf]]. Elected by the [[NomCom]]<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-04nov05-en.htm, Nominating Committee Announces Final Selections for Key Leadership Positions within ICANN 4 November 2005]</ref> , Sophia was the first African to serve and hold a seat on the GNSO. During her tenure, Sophia worked and participated on the development of policy over the New gTLD programme for ICANN that which is now approved for implementation and saw the application of 1930 new gTLDs at ICANN<ref>[http://gnso.icann.org/en/search/icann-search/sophia%20bekele, GNSO Activities]</ref><ref>[http://gnso.icann.org/en/issues/vertical-integration/soi-vi-pdp-wg-01apr10-en#bekele, Vertical Integration Policy Development Process Working Group]</ref> <ref>[http://nomcom.icann.org/candidate-bios-2005.htm GNSO-IDN-WG, IDN Chair Nomination, Oct 2006]</ref> <ref>[http://www.prlog.org/11222383-dotconnectafrica-open-letter-to-us-department-of-commerce.html, OPEN Letter to US Department of Commerce]</ref> <ref>[http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs053/1102516344150/archive/1109084848076.html, DotConnectAfrica Welcome 2012 - The Year for new gTLDs]</ref>. Sophia was instrumental in initiating policy dialogue over [[IDN]]s as well as the formation of an [[IDN]] working group. Ms. Bekele initiated the formation of the AfriICANN grouping within [[ICANN]]

As a gNSO adviser to ICANN Bekele participated actively in policy development for IDNs and campaigned for the efforts to introduce IDNs in the ICANN policy dialog. She was later credited for championing the inclusion of the global [[IDN]] community within this policy dialogue.<ref>[http://ictcreatives.com/component/k2/item/50-sophia-bekele-ethiopian-champion-of-the-dot-africa-initiative Enterprise Technology ICT Creatives]</ref><ref> [http://www.scribd.com/doc/35142308/ICANN-IDN-Language-Group-Recommendation-IDN-1#fullscreen:on, IDN Language group Recommendation]</ref><ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/44715292/IDRU-Endorsement-of-Dotafrica-for-DotConnectAfrica-DCA#fullscreen:on, IDRU Endorsement]</ref> and nominated to chair ICANN's [[IDN Working Group]]. She was one of the co-authors of ICANN's IDN policy guidelines.<ref>[http://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiabekele LinkedIn]</ref>

Following her important experiences gained from her work as gNSO advisor to ICANN and successful achievement of IDN work for ICANN and for the global internet community,  Bekele started the DotAfrica initiative. Bekele  made a clear case for a DotAfrica ([[.africa]]) gTLD for Africa within ICANN and also the global Internet Community on behalf of the global African and Pan-African constituency.<ref>[https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:EWBJVYdjy14J:www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/bekele-to-dengate-thrush-18jan11-en.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiuCAe7lIoCYxEwAc5Yu41rx2HvANtGY1LRavobL5r9wHrUKdj1xkZvECp7eQG1GI953IIVHfL_OXu-TfiqGAJA5ZPmXpkHFIal7qWavTkCuEMcA4w2KPcEu5PvA6ILizMOJb8D&sig=AHIEtbSsbKdUSWMD9IZ8rBrUyxvNbW581w, Open Letter to US Department of Commerce National Telecommunication Information Administration (NTIA) making a preliminary case for the .africa gTLD]</ref>,<ref>[http://www.prlog.org/11150099-dotconnectafrica-statement-to-icann-public-forum-cartegena-colombia.html, DotConnectAfrica  Statement to ICANN public forum Cartegena Columbia]</ref> ,<ref>[https://par.icann.org/files/paris/Paris-ICANNPublicForum-25JUN08.txt, The .Africa project announced at public forum in Paris, France]</ref>, <ref>[http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs053/1102516344150/archive/1104224678384.html, The .Africa project announced at public forum in Paris]</ref>,<ref>[http://forum.icann.org/lists/5gtld-guide/msg00108.html, DCA statement to ICANN public forum, Colombia]</ref>.  She soon led the [[.africa]] initiative<ref>[http://www.ssinformer.com/ssinformer-old/business_news/Africa/eastern/ethiopia/corporate/2009/december/11/eth_bus_corp_12_11_09_001.html, ‘ .Africa’ domain name  to position Africa’s Web Industry]</ref>. under a successful venture [[DotConnectAfrica]]  organization, a non-profit, non partisan  self start-up, and traveled throughout the various African countries and globally speaking and advocating the benefit of adapting to a .AFRICA Top Level Domain name (TLD) for the African Continent. Her most significant accomplishment so far for the [[.africa]] gTLD project is undertaking and sustaining a successful global campaign,under a “Yes2dotafrica” theme, energizing it and giving it global momentum and raising its Pan-African and International profile to a position of relevance, and introducing it to the Pan-African inter-governmental organizations – the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union Commission (AUC) and getting them to endorse it.<ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/31565131/African-Union-AU-Endorsement-of-DotConnectAfrica, The dotafrica Project initiative, August 8, 2008]</ref> , <ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/31566444/Economic-Commission-for-Africa-ECA-Endorsment-of-DotConnectAfrica, Testimony of Sophia Bekel's IDN work at ICANN]</ref>.  Bekele's  presentations, speeches and publications used for this global campaign and promotional work to create awareness of the .africa TLD are are chronicled by the international and local media and the internet widely and captured on the Organization's website.<ref>[http://www.dotconnectafrica.org/yes-campaign/dca-presentations, DCA Campaign Presentations and Speeches]</ref>

Bekele has written articles and editorials on issues concerning technology for development, good governance, regional economic integration, politics, and Internet Governance that is of  global public interest and Africa. <ref>[http://cbsintl.wordpress.com/2007/11/30/editorial-archives CBS International Webpress: selected articles/presentations]</ref>

# GNSO-IDN-WG, <span class="plainlinks">[http://forum.icann.org/lists/gnso-idn-wg/msg00036.html IDN Chair Nomination]</span>, Oct 2006<br>

# GNSO IDN, <span class="plainlinks">[http://gnso.icann.org/mailing-lists/archives/council/msg02233.html On IDN dialog - a debate with John C. Klensin]</span>, Mar 2006<br>