Changes

==Registry.Africa (UniForum SA) Bid==

==Registry.Africa (UniForum SA) Bid==

In February 2012, the African Union Commission (AUC) announced that it had chosen [[UniForum SA]], registry operator for [[.za]], as the registry operator for its .africa application in conjunction with [[AfTLD]] after an RFP in December 2011.<ref>[http://mybroadband.co.za/news/internet/44077-uniforum-sa-to-administer-africa-domain.html UniForum SA to administer .africa domain, mybroadband.co.za]</ref> Later that month, it was announced that [[Sedari]] would assist in supporting the application with its financial, technical and policy support services.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/sedari-working-on-africa-gtld-bid/ Sedari working on .africa gTLD bid, domainincite.com]</ref> In response to these announcements, DCA issued a [http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs053/1102516344150/archive/1109462804750.html press release] accusing the AU's selection of UniForum SA to be in bad faith, and that the AU's power to select a back-end registry operator for the .africa TLD is illegitimate.<ref>[http://aptantech.com/2012/03/dca-challenges-africa-union-on-full-disclosure-over-dotafrica-gtld-matters/ DCA challenges Africa Union on full disclosure over (dot)Africa gTLD matters, aptantech.com]</ref>

On April 4th, 2012, [[Dr. Elham M. A. Ibrahim]], the Commissioner of Infrastructure and Energy of the African Union informed Uniforum SA, trading as ZA Central Registry (ZACR) of its official appointment as the "Official Applicant and Registry Operator for [[dotAfrica]] [[gTLD]]. [[UniForum SA]]/[[ZACR]] submitted all application materials to [[ICANN]] on June 13, 2012.<ref name="Tilting">[Tilting at Windmills: Separating Fact from Fiction in the Joust for the New dotAfrica gTLD. Hurter, Eddie. 2015]</ref>

UniForum SA, supported by the AUC, [[AfTLD]], [[AfriNIC]], and other organizations, applied for .africa under the company [[Registry.Africa]].<ref>[http://africainonespace.org/members.php?id=2&title=STEERING%20COMMITTEE Registry.Africa Steering Committee]</ref> It has the support of over 39 individual African governments.<ref>[https://gacweb.icann.org/download/attachments/22938690/Africa-AUC-42560.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1353382039000 Africa AUC, GACweb.ICANN.org] Retrieved 24 November 2012]</ref>

 

* creating a [[gTLD]] that marks Africa's online identity, and reflects the continent's rich diversity and potential

* positioning the [[dotAfrica]] [[gTLD]] as the preferred option for citizens and business located in Africa or strongly associated with the continent

* emphasizing that the new [[gTLD]] would be "by Africa, for Africa"

 

[[ZACR]]'s application succeeded its initial step toward the [[dotAfrica]] [[gTLD]]. [[ICANN]] and [[ZACR]] completed the official [[dotAfrica]] [[gTLD]] Registry Agreement at the [[ICANN 49 - Singapore]] meeting, March 24th, 2014.

==DotConnectAfrica Bid==

==DotConnectAfrica Bid==