DotAfrica
DotAfrica is one of the proposed generic top level domain names (gTLDs) by several African organizations to included in the Domain Name System (DNS) to promote the African Identity (businesses, people and culture) of the region in the internet. During the 2009 the African Union conference at Johannesburg, 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". [1] 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 Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.[2]
Background
The 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.[3] 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 and the Africa Top Level Domain (AfTLD) Organization, a non-profit organization also established in Mauritius headed by Vika Mpisane.