Changes

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.  This was based on the proposal submitted to the AU by DCA during the previous years and after DCA was already endorsed by the African.  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>

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.  This was based on the proposal submitted to the AU by DCA during the previous years and after DCA was already endorsed by the African.  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>

In 2010 the African Unions called for a dotAfrica TaskForce that did not include DCA and drafted a document expressing interest in owning and leading the dotafrica gTLD itself.<ref>[http://www.nepad.org/system/files/Background%20note%20%20on%20DotAfrica%20-Final%20version%20ENG.pdf African Union Briefing Note on .Africa]</ref>  The AU then issued an Expression for dotafrica gTLD for organizations to apply directly to African Union for teh operations of a dotAfrica Registry. Since then, African entities has been interested in the implementation of DotAfrica as a new gTLD, including AfTLD, and ARC.

In 2010 the African Union called for a dotAfrica TaskForce that did not include DCA and drafted a document expressing interest in owning and leading the dotafrica gTLD itself.<ref>[http://www.nepad.org/system/files/Background%20note%20%20on%20DotAfrica%20-Final%20version%20ENG.pdf African Union Briefing Note on .Africa]</ref>  The AU then issued an Expression for dotafrica gTLD for organizations to apply directly to African Union for teh operations of a dotAfrica Registry. Since then, African entities has been interested in the implementation of DotAfrica as a new gTLD, including AfTLD, and ARC.

In 2011, African Union considered placing DotAfrica on the list of reserved names for the new gTLD program, making it so that no group other than the African Union could apply for it. This was strongly opposed by DotConnectAfrica in Dakar, Senegal who believed that the [[.africa[[ TLD should not be delegated by the structure the African Union try to delegate outside of the ICANN news gTLD programme.  DCA won and the TLD was not reserved.<ref>[http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Season-s-Greetings---A-Year-in-Review-2011---DotConnectAfrica.html?soid=1102516344150&aid=jTR9j-qUtE4 2011 End of Year Message at Christmas-from the Yes2DotAfrica Campaign!]</ref>

In 2011, African Union considered placing DotAfrica on the list of reserved names for the new gTLD program, making it so that no group other than the African Union could apply for it. This was strongly opposed by DotConnectAfrica in Dakar, Senegal who believed that the [[.africa[[ TLD should not be delegated by the structure the African Union try to delegate outside of the ICANN news gTLD programme.  DCA won and the TLD was not reserved.<ref>[http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Season-s-Greetings---A-Year-in-Review-2011---DotConnectAfrica.html?soid=1102516344150&aid=jTR9j-qUtE4 2011 End of Year Message at Christmas-from the Yes2DotAfrica Campaign!]</ref>