Changes

On March 9, 2011, AfTLD Chairman Vikas Mpisane announced that AfTLD would seek the endorsement of the African Union in connection with its application become the registry operator for the proposed .africa gTLD. According to Mpisane, the organization is interested managing both DotAfrica and its French version, .afrique, which is notable, as a purported 50% of Africans speak French. The organization is confident that it will be successful with its bid for the DotAfrica project, given the support it has received from the African community, African governments and its close relationship with other Africa internet organizations such as [[AfNOG]], [[AfriNIC]] and [[AfrISPA]].<ref>[http://www.aftld.org/html/english/news_dotafrica.html AfTLD takes on .africa]</ref>

On March 9, 2011, AfTLD Chairman Vikas Mpisane announced that AfTLD would seek the endorsement of the African Union in connection with its application become the registry operator for the proposed .africa gTLD. According to Mpisane, the organization is interested managing both DotAfrica and its French version, .afrique, which is notable, as a purported 50% of Africans speak French. The organization is confident that it will be successful with its bid for the DotAfrica project, given the support it has received from the African community, African governments and its close relationship with other Africa internet organizations such as [[AfNOG]], [[AfriNIC]] and [[AfrISPA]].<ref>[http://www.aftld.org/html/english/news_dotafrica.html AfTLD takes on .africa]</ref>

In February 2012, the AU announced that it had apponted [[UniForum SA]], registry operator for [[.za]], as the registry operator for .africa application in conjunction with AfTLD.<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>

 

In February 2012, the AU announced that it had appointed [[UniForum SA]], registry operator for [[.za]], as the registry operator for .africa application in conjunction with AfTLD.<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>

==ARC Bid for DotAfrica==

==ARC Bid for DotAfrica==