Changes

==Background==

==Background==

DotAfrica was originally proposed by non-African companies during [[ICANN]]'s first new gTLD application round in 2000. The application was strongly opposed, however, by some African professionals. They perceived that the application was not beneficial for the African continent. Subsequently, in 2002, those professionals who were in opposition to the original application began development of a draft operational model for a DotAfrica managed by Africans.<ref>[http://www.nepad.org/system/files/Background%20note%20%20on%20DotAfrica%20-Final%20version%20ENG.pdf African Union Briefing Note on .Africa]</ref> Since then, several African entities has been interested in the implementation of DotAfrica as a new gTLD, including DCA, AfTLD, and ARC.

DotAfrica was originally proposed by non-African companies during [[ICANN]]'s first new gTLD application round in 2000. The application was strongly opposed, however, by some African professionals. They perceived that the application was not beneficial for the African continent. Subsequently, the proposal to develop the DotAfrica TLD was first introduced by Sophia Bekele to the African Members of the [[ICANN Board]] and different African organizations of the ICANN community during the [[ICANN 28]] meeting in Lisbon, Portugal in 2007. She emphasized the importance of the .africa domain name for the benefit of the African region’s internet development and how it could serve as global identity for African internet users, as [[.asia]] and [[.eu]] do for their regions. Bekele argued that the initiative was compliant with the objectives and policies of various international organizations aiming to strengthen Africa's ICT sector, including the [[WSIS]], the African Union, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).<ref>[http://www.slideshare.net/Nyosef/dotafrica .Africa's Map in the Digital Inclusion: A Common Voice for Africa By Sophia Bekele]</ref>.  During the [[ICANN 32]] International ICANN Paris Public Meeting, Bekele officially announced her interest to apply for the .africa TLD through DotConnectAfrica.<ref>[http://www.dotconnectafrica.org/2008/06/22-june-2008-paris-icann-dot-africa-initiative-announced-icann-paris-meeting/ 22 June 2008 – Paris ICANN: DotAfrica Initiative announced at ICANN Paris meeting]</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>

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 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 opposed by various members of the African community, who believe that the .africa TLD should be controlled by the community to be used as a community-building mechanism. the opposition 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>

==DotConnectAfrica Bid for DotAfrica==

==DotConnectAfrica Bid for DotAfrica==