Changes

The African Registry Consortium ([[ARC]]) was also interested in bidding to operate DotAfrica, and willing to partner with AfTLD and offered to provide technical, operational and financial resources for the preparation of a strong application for the management of the DotAfrica registry.<ref>[http://www.africanregistry.net/content.php?contentID=1 ARC Executive Summary]</ref> However, the ARC bid failed due to strong opposition by DCA which alleged opportunistic business model and no consultation with community.<ref>[[http://myemail.constantcontact.com/The-Leopard-Cannot-Change-its-Spots--Say--No--to-the-ARC--African-Registry-Consortium.html?soid=1102516344150&aid=BYYeJN0_fLU]]</ref>

The African Registry Consortium ([[ARC]]) was also interested in bidding to operate DotAfrica, and willing to partner with AfTLD and offered to provide technical, operational and financial resources for the preparation of a strong application for the management of the DotAfrica registry.<ref>[http://www.africanregistry.net/content.php?contentID=1 ARC Executive Summary]</ref> However, the ARC bid failed due to strong opposition by DCA which alleged opportunistic business model and no consultation with community.<ref>[[http://myemail.constantcontact.com/The-Leopard-Cannot-Change-its-Spots--Say--No--to-the-ARC--African-Registry-Consortium.html?soid=1102516344150&aid=BYYeJN0_fLU]]</ref>

===AUC and Request for DotAfrica Reserved Names===

==AUC and Request for DotAfrica Reserved Names==

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 identified and tried to delegate outside of the ICANN news gTLD programme.  DCA won its case over this matter 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 identified and tried to delegate outside of the ICANN news gTLD programme.  DCA won its case over this matter 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>

===UNIFORUM Appointment for DOTAfrica gTLD by AUC===

==UNIFORUM Appointment for DOTAfrica gTLD by AUC==

In February 2012, the AU called for an open RFP for companies to provide AUC with proposal for the operation of the DotAfrica gTLD and stated that this was the only basis for endorsement from AUC.  It then 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 Press Briefing [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> and also that the AU and UNIFORUM should beware of Wrongdoing over DotAfrica <ref>[[http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs053/1102516344150/archive/1109846725800.html]]</ref>

In February 2012, the AU called for an open RFP for companies to provide AUC with proposal for the operation of the DotAfrica gTLD and stated that this was the only basis for endorsement from AUC.  It then 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 Press Briefing [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> and also that the AU and UNIFORUM should beware of Wrongdoing over DotAfrica <ref>[[http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs053/1102516344150/archive/1109846725800.html]]</ref>