Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Okay, so we are going to then officially start.

Gisella Gruber-White  :           Thank you.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Very well.  So we’ll have to tell Fatimata that we’ll have to start without her, so alright.  Can she at least hear us?  Can everybody hear us?  Alright, so Fatimata, if you can hear me, we’ll have to start without you.  Alright so let’s start.  So, good evening everyone. 

I apologize as Fatimata was supposed to chair this meeting, unfortunately her line is just not very good, so let’s go ahead and follow the agenda which has been drafted.  So first of all role call, can you please do a roll call? 

Gisella Gruber-White:             Very well.  So today we have Michel Tunam, Kenji Chembi, Tijani Ben Jemaa who’s chairing the meeting, Olivier Crepin-Leblond, Fatimata Seye Sylla, Aziz Hilali.  And we have no-one in the English channel, with the exception of Seth Greene.  And we have excuses from Gabriel Mumumfo, Pialto Genure, [Inaudible names].  And if I can remind everyone to please state your name before you speak for the transcript.  And Maya will be interpreting today, thank you Tijani.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Thank you Gisella, very well.  So the next item on our agenda is of course the review of the summary minutes and Aziz is going to do that for us.  Thank you.  Go ahead Aziz.

Aziz Hilali:                             Very well.  If you can talk about something else while I get my paper ready. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Well then let’s just go to item three, open public consultations.  We have of course the At-Large policy advice development schedule.  And this is of course related to a lack of consultations related to policies and so here you’ll have therefore a chart – Gisella could you do this part please?  Usually it’s Heidi or Aziz or Matthias, but – So I’d rather have Seth do it.  Okay Seth they want you to do the At-Large policy development schedule, slowly please.  Seth?  Seth are you there?

Seth Greene:                            Hello? 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Seth are you there?  They want you to do number three, open public consultations if that’s okay.

Seth Greene:                            Can you hear me right now?

Translator:                              Yes I can.

Seth Greene:                            Oh I’m sorry.  Okay good, thank you very much.  Yes certainly I could very briefly go through that, let me just get that up right now.  Bear with me one second right now, it’s coming up.  Regarding the open policy comments right now I could start by pointing out that the one ALAC statement currently being worked on -Maya is this slow enough?  Is this too fast?

Translator:                              No that’s perfect, keep on going.

Seth Greene:                            The one ALAC statement currently being worked on right now is the statement to the ICANN Board on the R.A negotiations.  And Olivier just sent around a note pointing out – and a link – pointing out that the new version of that statement is available and there is a deadline for comments of Saturday, May 7th , 2359 UTC time.  Saturday, May 7th, 2359 UTC time. 

Okay now as far as the current ICANN open policy comments go, the first one on the list, very interestingly, is actually ours from work team A, our improvements for team A, the proposed ICANN by-law revisions regarding the ALAC.  And I just want to say that so far, since we have obvious interest in that one, only one comment has been received and it actually was off topic, it was not placed in the correct place, so really zero comments have been received so far. 

That will end on May 9th.  I actually won’t go through the entire list because we all - does everyone have access to the list?  The link is on the bottom left of the Adobe Connect room.  If everyone can see the list and I won’t read through it.  Maya is there any response to that?

Translator:                              One second Seth.  Yes, they can see it.

Seth Greene:                            Okay then there’s no actual need for me to go through it all.  I’ll just say that the first comment period to end, the one that’s ending the soonest is ours on the ICANN by-laws.  And that’s on May 9th and then the rest end starting there further into the future. 

Translator:                              Repeat that last statement Seth.

Seth Greene:                            I’m just saying that of all the open comments period, all the open comments, public comments, the first one to end is in fact ours, regarding the ICANN by-laws and that ends on May 9th.  The rest all end progressively after that as you can see on the webpage.

Translator:                              Is that it?

Seth Greene:                            Yes, that’s everything I think that needs to be said now.  Also on the bottom left of the Adobe Connect room there’s also a connection to the ALAC – let me just check this before I misspeak – the ALAC statement under Whois Review Team? can be found in the link spot on the lower left.  PEDNR was just submitted I believe last week.

Translator:                              What was just submitted?  Excuse me?

Seth Greene:                            P.E.D.N.R, colloquially called PEDNR, was submitted last week.

Translator:                              Continue.

Seth Greene:                            Okay and I believe that’s the overview.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Thank you so much Seth.  Okay so we recently sent two ALAC statements, one in regards to the ‘Who Is Review’ and the other one related to the proposed recommendations on global outreach.  So we still need to work on the stability and transparency statement and that would be that.  Very well, Aziz if you’re ready we can go back to you.

Aziz Hilali:                             Very well.  So in regards to the action items, let me just give you a little reminder of last AFRALO call, the main activity and it’s Tijani who’s working on this of course.  The internet governance forum will take place, and that night will be the week of September 30th

We met in San Francisco with the important of people in ICANN and we stated that it is important to find a way to finance participants in this forum in Nairobi, which will last 45 days.  The final item is the training and [Inaudible 10:46] reinforcement program as well as A.L.S awareness.  And that’s going to be for the Jakarta meeting in October. 

So as AFRALO we have to take advantage of the meeting in Africa to be able to gather up all A.L.S reps and to really prepare a program that is very good and it is Tijani who is working on that program.  You know, this is of course a matter of budget, once again, so we need to find a budget to be able to finance the mass participants for that meeting.  We also discussed the [Inaudible 11:46] application. 

Once again we’ve asked for more information and we’ve given the [Inaudible 11:54] a final opportunity and we just got an email from Gisella, I think two days ago which tells us that they finally replied.  So it’s a matter of really reopening that application to finally either reach a decision, whether we accept or not, that application. 

And of course, you know, another issue is the participation of AFRALO members in working groups.  If there’s something else that you’d like to hear let me know, but these are the main items.  And of course in the month of May we are waiting and preparing for the Singapore meeting. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Thank you so much Aziz. Very well. As you can see, there weren’t that many activities that took place last month.  There are several activities in working groups and we’ll talk about those later on in the agenda.  Very well, let’s go to the next item, item four.  And these are of course the applications from ALSs.  So Gisella if you could tell us what’s happening with the three new applications and finally we can talk about [Inaudible 13:37].

Gisella Gruber-White:             Yes Tijani we actually removed them and I spoke to Seth about it so that there’s nothing else to talk about except for [Inaudible 13:51], right, because yes there’s three applicants, we’ll keep you posted until we analyze.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    And so let’s go back to this issue with [Inaudible 14:03] last minute, they sent us the filled out application, this time it’s completely filled out.  I did read it and I sent it to all of you, I sent it on the list so that you think about it and so that we reach a decision today.  So I’d like to know what you think about it.  So who would like the floor?  Yaovi did you want to say something?

Yaovi Atohoun:                      Well right as I was reading the document, I thought that there was a section that they apparently didn’t understand and I’m trying to find this.  And this is item three on the application, Capacities As A Structure.  You know, there’s a section there that talks about support for the statements and then by answering yes that you will not rely on ICANN. 

Speaker:                                  So I didn’t quite understand that.

Yaovi Atohoun:                      We were talking about the last one, the one that was sent yesterday. So then we need to get a new document.  At the bottom of the Adobe Connect, bottom left and also the bottom left of the agenda, if you click on the link it’ll take you to the [Inaudible 16:07] application and you’ll be able to see it.  It’s a PDF document. 

No, you know, they definitely seemed to fill out the application now that we have the application that – now that you have that website.  Fatimata had made a comment by email I think, stating that once again that [Inaudible 16:47] doesn’t really have much to do with the internet.  And you know, the only thing they have to do with the internet is that they have a small relationship with [Inaudible 17:00] but that’s really it.   

Okay here’s the link.  You know, there’s a question where we asked what are your working methods?  And they replied something like, ‘We use the isoft process’.  So I remembered that when we spoken about this with Matthias originally there was a question that said it, in the mission of your organization, what links do you have with the internet? 

But after reading their by-laws there was really nothing related to the internet.  And then in another section they state that they use the isoft process when it comes to the internet, so I would have liked for you guys to read this application.  I mean, we’re not going to spend too much time on this, you know, we’ve been discussing this for months and we haven’t made a decision. 

And also we need to be a bit more reactive and we need to really fit our point of view.  I know Fatimata’s point of view but I’d like everybody else’s.  Michele yes what would you like to say?

Michele:                                  I definitely read the document.  You know, in regards to their objectives, besides what Fatimata said, you know, item one, you know they say that they want to promote a bit more in regards to the Democratic Republic of Congo.  So I asked myself, if there’s something wrong here that just doesn’t go.  In regards to the application and the by-laws, do you find something, that it has anything to do with internet use, was in their objectives things of about nature, for anything for that matter. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Yes Yaovi what would you like to say?

Yaovi Atohoun:                      Can I say something?

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Yes.

Yaovi Atohoun:                      Well in regards to their goals, there’s a section on consumption and communication, that’s what they state in their objectives.  But I get the impression that [Inaudible 20:22] dabbles in many fields.  And in the rest of their answers I don’t know why it is that they included some of the things that they included, especially when it comes to the mention of isoft.  So everything is kind of like related to that, so I don’t know how to take that.  You know, they’re mentioning too many things at the same time so it’s sort of complicated. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Okay very well, since there aren’t many of us, what I propose is that we give a week and we give all the ALSs a week that everybody gives us a definite advice, whether we accept it or we reject the application.  That way we’ll really have worked on this issue in just a week and after a week we’ll take our advisement to [Inaudible 22:07].

Aziz Hilali:                             Tijani this is Aziz.  You know, I’ve got to say and I’m sorry to say this, I’m kind of sick of talking about this application.  We’ve been dealing with it for months, we really have to tackle it, once again we’re waiting.  You know, we’ve seen many issues here, you know, Fatimata stated what she stated so it’s a time to really do this and tackle this because once again, you know, there’s [Inaudible 22:54], you know, I think that at this moment we can leave it hanging because we get this application and there aren’t that many details, this application.  So for now, I say that we just stop these discussions and just let it be for now.  I understand what you’re saying, you know.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    I just really don’t want to make a final decision; there are only four of us here today so we really can’t make a decision on that. And Fatima [left? 23:48] so.  So I think that, you know, giving one week because there are people who never come to these teleconferences so it’s best to make them participate by sending an email. 

We have 22 ALSs on the 22 ALSs whoever answers will basically take that final advisement and send it over to ALAC.  I am also kind of sick of dealing with this issue but we have to do it in a professional manner.  I mean and even if I think something, I really don’t think that we can reach a decision today just like that because there are only four of us. 

We are all very expressive and we also really said the same thing, you know, there have been some nuances here and there but to reach a final decision we have to post the consultation on the list for a week.  Very well, so in that case if there aren’t that many people that reply on the list then what are we going to do? 

I mean I’m going to participate on the list, you are going to Michele as well, if we only have the same people on the list then we’ll just take the opinion of the majority but I’m hoping that we’ll get more people that will give us some feedback.  Okay, very well.  What do the others think?  Yes I think that would be fine.  Yes, that’s fine of course. Yaovi what do you think?

Yaovi Atohoun:                      Yes I agree as well.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    And he is in mute so he cannot answer.  But can we just open his mic for a moment so that he can tell us that he agrees?  Okay next item.  We’re trying to call him, apparently he dropped.  So we’ll ask him the question later.  Very well next item, item five.  It’s a very interesting item.  We got an email asking us what are our communication needs?  And talking about obviously communication needs in AFRALO, talking about AFRALO of course and nobody’s replied so far.

Yaovi Atohoun:                      And I’m so sorry I didn’t get that email.  Tijani I think that just you, Fatimata and Aziz got that email. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Very well, okay.  So let’s take care of that, I will send that to everyone.  So what is this about?  It’s basically asking us what our needs are in regards to communication.  You know, we’ve got things such as podcasts and – who is this?  Etienne.

Etienne:                                   Right, now that I’ve been called again because I dropped, where are you now? 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    I want to go back to item four for a moment with you, and this is in regards to the [Inaudible 28:11] application, do you remember that?  Right.  So [Inaudible 28:17] once again sent us their filled out application, very well filled out, back and what I asked is do we approve or reject this application.  And of course the big consensus is not very positive but there are only four of us here so what I proposed is to send out an email on the list asking the ALSs to give us their perspective within the week, their final perspective and to whether we accept or reject the application. 

And after that [Inaudible 296:06] advisement will be finally sent to ALAC, what do you think?    Yes, you agree?  Great.  Okay so everybody agrees on the call.  Alright so next item, item five as we were saying.  This is, basically ICANN asked us if we have any communication needs, needs such as podcasts or internet postings or hard copy materials, things of that nature. 

Also, in this case it’s a matter of evaluating them. AFRALO’s, not only does [Inaudible 30:08] capacity into working with ICANN’s communications department to work on certain things, for example working with members of AFRALO’s in forms of interviews to prepare some podcasts.  So we will then be giving our point of view in two days at the Excom call but tonight I will be sent every one of you the email related to this and I expect responses. 

And it is my fault, I thought that everybody had received it, but I will send it over tonight so then we finally have the final advisement on AFRALO.  Now, what I ask you is what are the needs that AFRALO has related to communication and I want to hear what you have to say, you know, if you have anything you want to propose or – I don’t know, what do you guys think?  

What I would say is that in regards to this item, I’m a bit embarrassed that we’ve gotten a lot of miscommunication and we haven’t really used them.  You know, so why ask for more when we haven’t really taken advantage of what we have?  But you know, we are being offered this so what I want to ask all of you is what are the needs that we have at this time?  Yaovi did you want to say something? 
Did you understand the question?

Yaovi Atohoun:                      Yes, I did. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Well the final question is, do we have needs that we need to take advantage of in regards to communication?

Yaovi Atohoun:                      I think that we need to get the document in and answer that way.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Michele what do you think?

Michele:                                  I agree with what Yaovi says except I’m not too informed at this time, so-

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Very well. Etienne what do you think?

Etienne:                                   I agree with what you’re saying.  In regards to the last conference – right, right.  What I was saying is that we have many means that have been put at our disposal but we’re not taking advantage of them. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    So I will be sending this mail on the list tonight and then I’ll be expecting a response from all of you by the end of tomorrow.  So by the end of tomorrow so as to get a response to [Inaudible 33:38] as of May 6th, so the day after tomorrow.  So there are comments that we can actually make on the Wiki page that was opened for this subject and you have the link on the agenda, ‘How to give Excom your feedback’. 

So you have that page so you go to that Wiki page and you will be able to really insert what it is that you want, alright?  Very well.  But I will be sending all of you the mail and if you could send me the response that would be great, maybe on the Wiki page, okay.  Very well, next item, this is item six. 

This is the At-Large improvement implementation AFRALO’s and this is really to the At-Large structures and individual Wiki pages and this is what I was talking about just now.  We now have the opportunity to have Wiki pages not only for each A List but for AFRALO’s itself and [Inaudible 35:01].  We didn’t do it last time in detail but we also are able to use the virtual Adobe Connect room whenever we want and you have the link right here. 

This has not been used so far and so I think that it’s a very important tool that we should take advantage of.  There are certain ALSs that don’t have a website, you know, that they’re having a hard time really setting up their webpage so they can use the Wiki in that case as a webpage.  And so I really think that the ICANN IT Department is doing excellent work and the staff as well, the At Large as well is doing great work.  Because this was actually an idea that came from the staff.  Very well.  Do we have any comments on that? Does anybody want to say something on that? 

Speaker:                                  I just have a question.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Yes?

Speaker:                                  In regards to this item I think that in the San Francisco meeting we saw some documents related to this or we sent those documents, not only related to Adobe Connect but also the individual Wiki pages.  Right but we really got in to detail at last meeting if you remember the agenda. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Very well.  Let’s go to item seven.  And what I’d like to propose is to change it in a [Inaudible 37:20] way because -  and so the way to change this is to say upcoming ICANN meetings and so we have items A and B.  Item A is of course Singapore which will be in June 2011 and we have to talk about our joint upcoming ICANN meeting. 

And we really have to start talking about it and preparing and I want your opinion on the subjects that we will be talking about in that meeting.  So who’d like to say something? Michele, Yaovi did you want to say something?

Speaker:                                  During that meeting, you know, I’m trying to think about this but will we be able to talk about the Jakarta meeting in Singapore, I don’t know, I don’t have a very set idea as of now.  So you think that we should have a meeting in Singapore on the activities on the activities that we intend to have in Jakarta?  Or you know, choose a specific subject that will allow us to really take advantage of that meeting because we’ll have more African participants.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Right, of course. Very well.  And I think that in regards to [Inaudible 39:14] reinforcement which was a major concern last time.

Speaker:                                  What I think we should do is that in Singapore we really prepare that forum on [Inaudible 39:32] reinforcement.  But you know, the [Inaudible 39:36] meeting is an [Inaudible 39:39].  You know, and the outreach that we need to use AFRALO outreach, well, we will deal with our general issues that concern the African community. 

So we have to come up with a subject that concerns everyone, possibly something that is a great interest to everyone and the latest news.  So I definitely think we need to have another meeting to talk about this, well we did it twice already.  Right, but because this is something to continue, I think that at that meeting maybe that should be a subject so we can get more information.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Very well, okay.  Alright what I propose then is you think of it more about this issue and send me your feedback by email [Inaudible 40:57] then saying that an email will be sent to the list asking what -  no that’s not a good approach.  Well, just those of you on the call, can all of you send me your perspectives and your points of views and your ideas related, you know, a subject that involves the African ICANN community, for Singapore.  Yes Etienne, it can. 

Translator:                              And excuse me in English but Etienne just spoke and unfortunately it was very bad sound.  What were you saying?  And standby in English, unfortunately the quality – and French, is not very good.  What he was asking – yes Tijani what were you saying, yes so Michele what – what he’s asking is is if it wouldn’t be possible to maybe prepare or to have a presentation on [Inaudible 42:56].

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    So very well, let’s leave it that way.  And please send me your emails on the list or even to the staff if you’d like.  So send your perspective to, at least the people who are on this call and then we’ll come up with a subject that will be sent out to the whole list.  Right because if we open this list I think we’re going to have too many different subjects and so we’ll have some people that are not going to be too happy. 

So let’s do it that way and we’ll propose the subjects on the list.  Alright, very well let’s go to the next item.  So the second issue talking about item seven is of course the Jakarta meeting which will be in October and that is going to be an exceptional meeting.  Tomorrow we will be having a teleconference to talk about the 2012 budget and we’ll probably know if we’ll be [Inaudible 44:10] on our projects and this will be related to not only capacity building, but on the training that we want to [Inaudible 44:19] for Jakarta and if that’s going to be supported.  

But so we have to, you know, deal with this as though we are being financed.  So if we do get financing we’ll have three activities to showcase and we’ll try to really put together something amazing because we’ll have a lot [Inaudible 44:47] present and then we have to really excel because it’s going to be our second showcase.  So I really want all of you to think about, to really be innovative in this showcase. 

The second activity that we’ll have, which will also be very important, at Jakarta is capacity building and this is the training, if we get the financing, that is.  And this activity will also need press time, energy and co-ordination.  It’s a huge operation and even if conceptually it has been done, you know, there is still a lot to do logistically and when it comes to the preparation.  And then the third important activity that we’ll have in Jakarta is the [Inaudible 45:39] ICANN meeting. 

And we will be on African soil of course so we will have meetings with a lot of people present and we will have to choose the right subject so that we are very successful.  So for Jakarta I don’t want to say too much because I don’t know if we are going to be able to do the excessive building depending on the other issues.  But for the showcase we can start working on that, so start thinking about that and, like I said, we really have to be innovative on this showcase.  Any comments? 

Translator:                              And once again, standby in English, connection of speaker in French is very bad. Michele did you get what he said?  Oh, you’re talking about the showcase?  Yes.  Showcase is, in English, is an exhibition, if you will.  It’s basically a presentation of what AFRALO stands for and what the activities are of [Inaudible 47:11].

Speaker:                                  What was that again?

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Right, so it’s basically like an exhibition if you will.  Very well. 

Etienne:                                   Yes and I have a question. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    You wanted to know what about the meeting?

Translator:                              And once again standby in English. Connection of speaker is not very good, it’s Etienne.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    What I was saying is during that I can meeting.  In regards to a prize?  Oh no, no, nothing like that, no, no, no, no.  Oh, prizes!  You know, where are you seeing that?  In the showcase, in regards to prizes, awards?  Where are you seeing that?  Are you seeing that on the showcase, where are you seeing that?  Very well, since I really can’t hear and since I really am not understanding your question, let’s just – Etienne I’m so sorry but I cannot hear you. 

I don’t hear you very well, Michele can you hear him?  No I really couldn’t hear him well either.  Yes thank you so much.  You’re going to send your proposal by email, wonderful, wonderful.  Okay so Yaovi or Michele, do you have anything else to say in regards to Singapore and Jakarta?  We spoke about Singapore but how about Jakarta?  Excuse me, what was that?  Yes Michele.

Michele:                                  In regards to Jakarta, I think that it’s a very good thing.  You know, definitely [Inaudible 50:14] reinforcement.  It’s something very important of course, we’ll have to confirm how that’s going to happen.  You know, you said something previously that’s very important, what are going to be our perspectives [Inaudible 50:36] after Jakarta and that’s something we have to discuss.  And this is definitely related to our performance, especially, and how we’re going to put it together for Jakarta. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Right, but Michele we definitely want to prepare well for Dhaka so I want ideas related to Jakarta first and foremost.  I want ideas related to the showcase.  Right, you know that I was a bit, you know, in regards to our actions previously and the things that we’ve put together, I was a bit disappointed.  But those of you who had the opportunity to deal with the negative aspects as to really find ways to improve these issues. 

No, you’re right, there are certain things that we have to improve.  But, you know, innovation and that’s what I’m talking about.  If you have an idea that’s going to be innovative, you know, because United States and Asia and Europe, you know, they gave us their showcase and we have to do the same, we have to come up with a showcase that is rather amazing.  No, completely, I agree. 

Right, we have to think about it and this is what I’m asking all of you, to really think about it and really come up with a clear idea on what it is that we want to do.  And this is one of the urgent activities because, you know, we have to find a way to put this together.  Yaovi did you want to say something?

Yaovi Atohoun:                      Something related to innovation, you know, we definitely have to keep thinking about this.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Very well.  Let’s go to item eight.  So item eight is an update on the joint [Inaudible 53:10] working group.  And this is of course the working group that’s working on [Inaudible 53:17] working group.  So this working group is really working well, there was a time there when we thought things were not going well, that we were not making too much headway. 

So, on the Adobe Connect you will be able to see the link so that you’ll see where we are at this moment, so I’m posting the link now.  So I sent you all the link and we need to go to this link then you’ll be able to see the whole thing there.  So I must admit that I’m eating, sleeping, doing everything [Inaudible 54:47] and let’s just say that the work related to the group has taken a lot of my duties and tasks over the [Inaudible 55:04] and other issues. 

I can tell you that the process that will be established will have nothing to do with the applicant guide book.  Mainly because if we use something and they were going to be late, we have a deadline to meet in two days and so it’s going to be a process that’s going to be parallel but mentioned in the applicant guide books.  And it’s one of the decisions that we made during one of the meetings for this working group. 

What else can I tell you?  It’s not easy, it’s not easy at all, the work that we’re doing here.  Many of the people in that group have different perspectives and different origins and different constituencies as well.  We have people from ALAC from [Inaudible 56:23], you know we have people that are internet users, we have people that are [Inaudible 56:43] so we have a lot of points of views that come from many other regions. 

And this is why in order to reach a consensus on the different opinions has not been very easy.  So it’s not an easy task, I think that we’re finally on the right path, we’ve made headway and we’ll be able to come up with something to submit to the board [Inaudible 57:12].  Especially you know, the criteria in regards to choices and then, you know, we’re also working on the charter as well, which of course, a charter that will have to do with not only ALAC but also [Inaudible 57:39], which are the two governing organizations?  No, no questions.  Yes, a question.

Speaker:                                  This document that you just posted, we have a draft report and then we have a final report, what we’re preparing at this time is the second report, the second draft report so the final report is obviously not ready. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Right, you’re right it’s not on the page.  Very well.  So we had a first draft report, now we’re working on the second one.  And the final report will probably be, you know, after Singapore or something like that.  But it will definitely have to be ready before the opening.  Right so do we have any more questions on this subject?  No.  Very well. 

So now let’s go to item 9 and this is of course recent and upcoming activities on ALAC.  So since we have Olivier with us in the call can we ask him to give us a bit of an update on ALAC activities?  Olivier are you still here?

Olivier Crepin-Leblond:          Yes Tijani you were asking me of course, right, I thought that the question was for everyone to ask me.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    No, no, no the question was directly to you.  No, no this is just an update on, so we want to know, it’s usually me, Mohammad and Dave who takes care of that item but since you’re here and you are the ALAC President I would rather that you do it, thank you.

Olivier Crepin-Leblond:          Very well and of course I accept.  Alright, so we’ve had many activities since the San Francisco meeting, we’ve had about, almost a thousand statements that have been prepared by the large advisory committee.  These were drafts of course and these are reports common that came from the ALSs so I really think that everyone for their feedback usually - I’m used to talking about this in English so I’m looking for my words – besides that, we had some follow up with the different meetings that we have, for example the registrars in San Francisco, with the GAC as well, with others and we are already starting to prepare the meeting that we will have in Singapore because it will be taking place in a month so we have to start preparing. 

We also had several briefing meetings that took place, one of them on stability and resilience – now how do you say that in French? I don’t have the words – exactly but I think everybody can understand.  And besides that we have certain teleconferences that will take place in the following weeks that will also be posted on the [Inaudible 01:02].  Besides that we’re making head ways, we’re getting a lot of participation.  

With Heidi we worked a lot on these issues, Heidi just left on maternity leave.  And so we also got as well, the feedback so we now have a Mr. among us, Johnny who’s the new member of the staff, yes [Inaudible 01:02:50] is someone in Constituency Travel, which is the company that deals with the travel.  And again he has been our savior at all times, whenever there was a problem, you know, he is very open, willing to work and [Inaudible 01:03:07] for example, I officially thank them because he really helped us. 

Especially, there were difficult situations that came up for some.  And now that Matthias is gone and Heidi will not be here for a while, ICANN have decided to hire two people and of course one of the people, or replacement as Matthias will actually be leaving the travel company and work with our company now.  And he’s now part of a large staff.  And he is very updated on everything. 

I’m done and let me just status while – that we also have Seth Green as well who not only takes care of the ALS improvement work team, but he also now is in charge of a major portion of Heidi’s duties when of course she was still working.  So that it what it is and now it’s been a very smooth transition.  So, we are so going on the right path, especially for Singapore.  Thank you.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Thank you Olivier and I’m sorry to have made you work for a meeting where you just wanted to be present as an observer. 

Olivier Crepin-Leblond:          But thank you for having me, giving this opportunity.  Thank you so much.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Very well.  So that being said, item ten.  And these are the recent and upcoming activities of AFRALO.  And here I’m just going to give the floor to each of you, what of the future and recent activities of you ALS and we’ll talk about that later on at the end.  Ok so let’s start with Etienne, that is if I can hear you.  Etienne are you there?  Okay then let’s go to Yaovi. 

Yaovi Atohoun:                      Yes we had a special meeting and we are now preparing a meeting with the [Inaudible 01:06:04] chapters.  And of course this will be for the main stakeholders and whenever we have more information we’ll keep you posted, especially for the A.L.S’s if they want to participate.  Besides that there haven’t been that many activities. Thank you.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Thank you Yaovi.  Michele?

Michele:                                  Yes –

Translator:                              Once again, standby in English, the connection in French.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Very well.  And Michele what did you want to say.

Michele:                                  Yes thank you. In regards to [Inaudible 01:07:13], we are preparing for the International Telecom Day and we will be preparing and participating for the inauguration meeting because there will be a lot of people present.  And there will a lot of community activity as well and also we are trying to support the creation of the [Inaudible 01:07:57] chapter in Cameroon on Saturday.  We’ll probably have a first initial meeting and we’re hoping that this chapter sees the light of day.  And in regards to our future activities, as many of you know, for the month of July 2011, we are actually talking about sustainable documents in the activities that will take place.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Thank you Michele, I thought that [Inaudible 01:08:35] was already in existence because I have an email from them.

Michele:                                  Right, I mean, you know, we did the test in 2009.  You know, unfortunately there was a leadership struggle, if you will, so we had a difficult time to really establish the structure.  Now we have a team of leaders that have them established, so, very well.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Alright.  I think Aziz just left.  Yes Etienne did you want to say something else?

Translator:                              And once again, standby, speaker in French I cannot hear very well, just a moment.  

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Right, the issue is, there was an issue with the president and now they’ve been working on that.  So very well.  Okay is Aziz still here?  No, he’s gone.  Alright, very well.  So let me just give you a bit of an update in regards to [Inaudible 01:10:18] which is Aziz’s ALS.  So [Inaudible 01:10:26] putting together an iNet and this will be next week. 

And so this is basically about, so I really encourage all of you to participate in that event, where I will be a speaker myself.  Very well, onto my own ALS.  And this is, well, I’ve been a year now where Tunisian budgets were checked with us in regards to whatever decisions they needed to make and I’m very happy about that.  And so last week we had two meetings for the modification of the charter so we participated in that meeting and we gave our input. 

And it seems to me that the charter will be drafted very soon.  We also have a workshop that we will be organizing with the European’s permission and it will probably take place at the end of the year or at the beginning of next year and we’ve already started preparing for that.  And this is really encouraging exchange between countries under, above the Mediterranean and under the southern region. 

So my ALS is therefore going to be working with the European commission for that.  And that is everything related to my ALS and in regards to AFRALO last week and we are still preparing.  And of course [Inaudible 01:12:43] was April 22nd, we therefore proposed a workshop for Nairobi, but on behalf of AFRALO of course. 

And so I will be sending all of you the project once I have all the details because it’s been proposed but now it’s a matter of tweaking all the details related to the speakers.  I already gave the names of the speakers, there we some that I wasn’t sure, I couldn’t get a confirmation on some but once I have all the details I will be presenting that to all of you. 

And this activity can only take place, of course, if ICANN decides for 2012 budget to give the appropriate financing for the said workshop.  We will probably know this tomorrow.  We have the teleconference on the budget tomorrow and I’m hoping that we’ll have these two activities, you know, that we’ve been wanting to put together.  The first one is of course capacity building in Jakarta and then of course this workshop that we’ve been talking about so much and in regards to AFRALO as well. 

We do have another working group that’s working on the names of countries and territories and this is a working group that is working with the CCN and so we have two representatives from AFRALO there, we have Howard Yakiti and Mohammad Al Bashir. The second working group is of course [Inaudible 01:14:46] and I’m a member of that and we are working very hard for this job.  And this is basically what we’ve been doing as activities and of course in the future other things will come up.  And that is it.  Any questions?  Anything else to say?

Translator:                              Tijani I couldn’t quite – Speaker in French the connection – standby in English.  I wasn’t able to hear you very well.

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    We’ll be able to [Inaudible 01:15:49] and you’ll have everything in the transcript.  Very well, no problem.  And whatever other questions that I have, I’ll send them to you by email.  Very well.  Alright we’re almost done, we just have any other business.  Do we have anything else that we want to deal with?  Does anybody want to say something else? 

You’re probably asking yourselves what’s happening with the issues with visas in Singapore, no?  Okay.  Is that a question?  Okay so I’m not going to deal with it then.  Yes in regards to Singapore, you know, there are many countries that need to apply for visa’s which is kind of new for us, for Singapore.  Is your country exempted from visa?  Yes, from getting a visa, yes, that’s very good. 

Speaker:                                  My country is not.  No. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Very well.  Alright, so Morocco and Tunisia don’t need a visa then.

Yaovi Atohoun:                      I got some info from Tijani and he told me that very soon we’ll be contacted so that we are told what to do.  For those that need a bit more assistance they will be contacted.  Yes I think that will be good.  Because it’s not too far from me, so. 

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    Yes and Yaovi, yes I’m also exempt from applying for a visa.  So the information letter will just be on the site, or will it be sent by email?  That’s something that we need to know.  I think that for Mexico we had invitation letters, one from ICANN and one from the other organization, so – very well.  If there’s anything else then I think constituency travel will let us know.  Very well. 

Anything else?  Anything else that you want to debate?  We started quite late so, very well, thank you so much.  Did Aziz leave already?  Yes he did.  He said he couldn’t be here anymore.  Right, he’s the one that could have given us more information in regards to that so-

Speaker:                                  Any other questions?  Anything else to say?  Otherwise I think that we will be closing the meeting and that will be it.  Alright, thank you so much and I apologize everyone for this late start but even though we have two, three people in the meeting, you know, that’s definitely not very good.  I think that this is the least attended meeting that I have had in a while.  Tijani will you be sending to Fatimata?

Tijani Ben Jemaa:                    I know that Gabriel, Hawa, Pierre, who apologized, you know, to the operations and that, you know definitely was more of a waste of time.  Yes I will be sending an email in regards to that.  I have two emails to send, one I will be sending tonight, this is related to, you know, the communication needs and the second will be for the people who were absent.  Okay, very well, thank you everyone, have a good night and take care. Bye-bye.

-End of Recorded Material-

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