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==Championing the [[.africa]] (dotAfrica) gTLD Project==

==Championing the [[.africa]] (dotAfrica) gTLD Project==

Following her important experiences gained from her work as gNSO advisor to ICANN and successful achievement of IDN work for ICANN and for the global internet community,  Bekele started the DotAfrica initiative. Bekele  made a clear case for a DotAfrica ([[.africa]]) gTLD for Africa within ICANN and also the global Internet Community on behalf of the global African and Pan-African constituency.<ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/47087667/A-Preliminary-Case-for-Africa-gTLD-Open-Letter-to-NTIA-US-Department-of-Commerce-by-DotConnectAfrica, Open Letter to US Department of Commerce National Telecommunication Information Administration (NTIA) making a preliminary case for the .africa gTLD]</ref>,<ref>[http://www.prlog.org/11150099-dotconnectafrica-statement-to-icann-public-forum-cartegena-colombia.html, DotConnectAfrica  Statement to ICANN public forum Cartegena Columbia]</ref> ,<ref>[http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs053/1102516344150/archive/1104224678384.html, The .Africa project announced at public forum in Paris]</ref>,<ref>[http://forum.icann.org/lists/5gtld-guide/msg00108.html, DCA statement to ICANN public forum, Colombia]</ref>.  She soon led the [[.africa]] initiative<ref>[http://www.ssinformer.com/ssinformer-old/business_news/Africa/eastern/ethiopia/corporate/2009/december/11/eth_bus_corp_12_11_09_001.html, ‘ .Africa’ domain name to position Africa’s Web Industry]</ref>. under a successful venture [[DotConnectAfrica]]  organization, a non-profit, non-partisan self start-up, and traveled throughout the various African countries and globally speaking and advocating the benefit of adapting to a .AFRICA Top Level Domain name (TLD) for the African Continent. Her most significant accomplishment so far for the [[.africa]] gTLD project is undertaking and sustaining a successful global campaign, under a “Yes2dotafrica” theme, energizing it and giving it global momentum and raising its Pan-African and International profile to a position of relevance, and introducing it to the Pan-African inter-governmental organizations – the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union Commission (AUC) and getting them to endorse it.<ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/31565131/African-Union-AU-Endorsement-of-DotConnectAfrica, The dotafrica Project initiative, August 8, 2008]</ref> , <ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/31566444/Economic-Commission-for-Africa-ECA-Endorsment-of-DotConnectAfrica, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Endorsement of DotConnectAfrica]</ref>.  Bekele's presentations, speeches and publications used for this global campaign and promotional work to create awareness of the .africa TLD are chronicled by the international and local media and the internet widely and captured on the Organization's website.<ref>[http://www.dotconnectafrica.org/yes-campaign/dca-presentations, DCA Campaign Presentations and Speeches]</ref>

Following her important experiences gained from her work as gNSO advisor to ICANN and successful achievement of IDN work for ICANN and for the global internet community,  Bekele started the DotAfrica initiative. Bekele  made a clear case for a DotAfrica ([[.africa]]) gTLD for Africa within ICANN and also the global Internet Community on behalf of the global African and Pan-African constituency.<ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/47087667/A-Preliminary-Case-for-Africa-gTLD-Open-Letter-to-NTIA-US-Department-of-Commerce-by-DotConnectAfrica, Open Letter to US Department of Commerce National Telecommunication Information Administration (NTIA) making a preliminary case for the .africa gTLD]</ref>,<ref>[http://www.prlog.org/11150099-dotconnectafrica-statement-to-icann-public-forum-cartegena-colombia.html, DotConnectAfrica  Statement to ICANN public forum Cartegena Colombia]</ref> ,<ref>[http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs053/1102516344150/archive/1104224678384.html, The .Africa project announced at public forum in Paris]</ref>,<ref>[http://forum.icann.org/lists/5gtld-guide/msg00108.html, DCA statement to ICANN public forum, Colombia]</ref>.  She soon led the [[.africa]] initiative<ref>[http://www.ssinformer.com/ssinformer-old/business_news/Africa/eastern/ethiopia/corporate/2009/december/11/eth_bus_corp_12_11_09_001.html, ‘ .Africa’ domain name to position Africa’s Web Industry]</ref>. under a successful venture [[DotConnectAfrica]]  organization, a non-profit, non-partisan self start-up, and traveled throughout the various African countries and globally speaking and advocating the benefit of adapting to a .AFRICA Top Level Domain name (TLD) for the African Continent. Her most significant accomplishment so far for the [[.africa]] gTLD project is undertaking and sustaining a successful global campaign, under a “Yes2dotafrica” theme, energizing it and giving it global momentum and raising its Pan-African and International profile to a position of relevance, and introducing it to the Pan-African inter-governmental organizations – the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union Commission (AUC) and getting them to endorse it.<ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/31565131/African-Union-AU-Endorsement-of-DotConnectAfrica, The dotafrica Project initiative, August 8, 2008]</ref> , <ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/31566444/Economic-Commission-for-Africa-ECA-Endorsment-of-DotConnectAfrica, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Endorsement of DotConnectAfrica]</ref>.  Bekele's presentations, speeches and publications used for this global campaign and promotional work to create awareness of the .africa TLD are chronicled by the international and local media and the internet widely and captured on the Organization's website.<ref>[http://www.dotconnectafrica.org/yes-campaign/dca-presentations, DCA Campaign Presentations and Speeches]</ref>

Bekele, therefore, was recognized and credited for her global campaign efforts by the global internet community as well as various leading African and international media. As such, was credited by the Economist as "leading the .africa initiative"<ref>[http://www.economist.com/blogs/baobab/2010/09/rebranding_africa, Can "Africa" get a makeover?]</ref>.  The Diplomat East Africa named her "Brains Behind .africa" <ref>[http://www.diplomateastafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=388:connecting-africa-towards-a-digital-africa&catid=36:latest,Connecting Africa, Towards a Digital Africa]</ref>.  

Bekele, therefore, was recognized and credited for her global campaign efforts by the global internet community as well as various leading African and international media. As such, was credited by the Economist as "leading the .africa initiative"<ref>[http://www.economist.com/blogs/baobab/2010/09/rebranding_africa, Can "Africa" get a makeover?]</ref>.  The Diplomat East Africa named her "Brains Behind .africa" <ref>[http://www.diplomateastafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=388:connecting-africa-towards-a-digital-africa&catid=36:latest,Connecting Africa, Towards a Digital Africa]</ref>.