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{{CompanyInfo|
{{CompanyInfo|
| logo = RegistrydotAfricaLogo.png
| logo = RegistrydotAfricaLogo.png
|bronzesponsor = ICANNWiki [[Sponsorship|Bronze Sponsor]]
| membersponsor = ICANNWiki [[Sponsorship|Member]]
| type =
| type =
| industry = Registry
| industry = Registry
| linkedin =
| linkedin =
| twitter = africandomain
| twitter = africandomain
| keypeople = [[Neil Dundas]], Executive Director of [[UniForum SA]]<br/>[[Theo Kramer]]<br/>[[Rebecca Wanjiku]]<br/>[[Mark Elkins]]<br/>[[Octavia Kumalo]]<br/>[[Vika Mpisane]]<br/>[[Koffi Fabrice Djossou]]
| keypeople = [[Lucky Masilela]], CEO <br />[[Calvin Browne]], Director [[UniForum SA]]<br> [[Neil Dundas]], Director & Policy Advisor [[UniForum SA]]<br/>[[Theo Kramer]]<br/>[[Rebecca Wanjiku]]<br/>[[Mark Elkins]]<br/>[[Octavia Kumalo]]<br/>[[Vika Mpisane]]<br/>[[Koffi Fabrice Djossou]]
}}
}}
==Background==
==Background==
The African Union held an Extraordinary Session of the African Union Conference of Ministers in charge of Communications and Information Technologies on November 5, 2009, in Johannesburg, South Africa<ref>[http://www.eafricacommission.org/whats-new/news/06/11/2009/extraordinary-conference-au-ict-ministers Extraordinary Conference of AU ICT Ministers, eafricacommission.org]</ref> in order to discuss the benefits of a .africa TLD with representatives from the African community at large. As a result of the session, a resolution was adopted, called The Oliver Tambo Declaration, to "establish dotAfrica as a continental Top-Level Domain for use by organizations, businesses and individuals with guidance from African Internet agencies." The declaration was further endorsed at the Head of States and Governments Summit in January, 2012.
The African Union held an Extraordinary Session of the African Union Conference of Ministers in charge of Communications and Information Technologies on November 5, 2009, in Johannesburg, South Africa<ref>[http://www.eafricacommission.org/whats-new/news/06/11/2009/extraordinary-conference-au-ict-ministers Extraordinary Conference of AU ICT Ministers, eafricacommission.org]</ref> in order to discuss the benefits of a .africa TLD with representatives from the African community at large. As a result of the session, a resolution was adopted, called [[The Oliver Tambo Declaration]], to "establish dotAfrica as a continental Top-Level Domain for use by organizations, businesses and individuals with guidance from African Internet agencies." The declaration was further endorsed at the Head of States and Governments Summit in January, 2012.
At the Third Ordinary Session of the African Union Conference of Ministers in charge of Communication and Information Technologies, held in Abuja, Nigeria, in August 2010, a resolution called the The Abuja Declaration was adopted, which requested that the AU "set up the structure and modalities for the Implementation of the DotAfrica project." To implement this decision, the AU set up a DotAfrica Task Force composed of knowledgable African representatives from the industry, which made the following two recommendations: 1) for the AU to apply for .africa through the first round of ICANN's New gTLD Program, and 2) for the AU to make a public call for EOIs to run the domain name on behalf of the AU. Through this process, the AU selected UniForum SA.<ref>[http://africainonespace.org/content.php?id=1&title=The%20African%20Union%20and%20dotAfrica The African Union and dotAfrica, africainonespace.com]</ref>
At the Third Ordinary Session of the African Union Conference of Ministers in charge of Communication and Information Technologies, held in Abuja, Nigeria, in August 2010, a resolution called the [[The Abuja Declaration]] was adopted, which requested that the AU "set up the structure and modalities for the implementation of the DotAfrica project." To implement this decision, the AU set up a DotAfrica Task Force composed of knowledgeable African representatives from the industry, which made the following two recommendations: 1) for the AU to apply for .africa through the first round of ICANN's New gTLD Program, and 2) for the AU to make a public call for EOIs to run the domain name on behalf of the AU. Through this process, the AU selected UniForum SA.<ref>[http://africainonespace.org/content.php?id=1&title=The%20African%20Union%20and%20dotAfrica The African Union and dotAfrica, africainonespace.com]</ref>
On April 4th, 2012, [[Dr. Elham M. A. Ibrahim]], the Commissioner of Infrastructure and Energy of the African Union informed Uniforum SA, trading as ZA Central Registry (ZACR) of its official appointment as the "Official Applicant and Registry Operator for [[dotAfrica]] [[gTLD]]. [[UniForum SA]]/[[ZACR]] submitted all application materials to [[ICANN]] on June 13, 2012.<ref name="Tilting">[Tilting at Windmills: Separating Fact from Fiction in the Joust for the New dotAfrica gTLD. Hurter, Eddie. 2015]</ref>
Their mission and objective was outlined in their application and include:
* establishing a world class domain name registry by engaging African technology and expertise
* creating a [[gTLD]] that marks Africa's online identity, and reflects the continent's rich diversity and potential
* positioning the [[dotAfrica]] [[gTLD]] as the preferred option for citizens and business located in Africa or strongly associated with the continent
* emphasizing that the new [[gTLD]] would be "by Africa, for Africa"
[[ZACR]]'s application succeeded its initial step toward the [[dotAfrica]] [[gTLD]]. [[ICANN]] and [[ZACR]] completed the official [[dotAfrica]] [[gTLD]] Registry Agreement at the [[ICANN 49 - Singapore]] meeting, March 24th, 2014.
==Contention==
Prior to [[ICANN]]'s implementation of the [[new gTLD]] program, another [[registry]], [[DotConnectAfrica]] ([[DCA]]) submitted a competing 'private' application to [[ICANN]] for the [[dotAfrica]] [[gTLD]]. On October 29th, 2018,<ref name="Tilting"></ref> [[DCA]] contacted the Chairperson of the AUC seeking support for its application for the [[dotAfrica]] [[gTLD]], stating that "collaboration of the AU (with [[ICANN]]) will be a necessity if not a prerequisite" due to the impending program requirement changes.
After an initial meeting with the Chairperson from the AUC, [[DCA]] contacted the Chairperson again by letter on July 31st, 2009<ref name="Tilting"></ref> seeking an endorsement letter. The AUC responded favorably initially, but later retracted its support after consulting with 'relevant stakeholders', further stating that they would implement an open process for all applicants. [[DCA]] responded by stating "we fully support the open process and are quite confident based on our due diligence to date, to be one of the leading contenders.<ref name="Tilting"></ref>
After the AUC's 'Call for Expression of Interest in May of 2011,<ref name="Tilting"></ref> [[DCA]] responded to the open process negatively, stating that the actions of the AUC were not "transparent and accountable" and that their previous endorsement was still applicable. In response, the AUC stated that [[DCA]]'s continued persistence would create an "unwarranted and unecessary intrustion on the AUC's mandate."
In Novermber 2012,<ref name="Tilting"></ref> the AUC proceeded to submit a [[GAC]] Early Warning against [[DCA]]'s application. Many African countries followed suit. The [[GAC]] then created the [[Beijing Communique]] which confirmed an official 'Objection' to [[DCA]]'s application. [[ICANN]]'s [[NGPC]] accepted the conclusion of the [[GAC]]'s communique and suggested that [[DCA]] not proceed. Consequently, [[ICANN]] determined the application should not be approved.
The assignment of .Africa to a [[Registry]] is still on hold at this time. A decision, yet to be made by the [[IRP]] (Independent Review Panel) will no doubt greatly impact the development of Africa's presence on the Internet.
==Steering Committee==
==Steering Committee==
[[Category:Companies]]
[[Category:Companies]]
[[Category:Registries]]
[[Category:Registries]]
[[Category:Sponsor]]
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