Joint AFRALO-AfrICANN Working Group

Introduction

The ICANN Board requested in its meeting in Nairobi stakeholders of SOs and ACs to develop an approach to providing support to applicants requiring assistance in applying for and operating new gTLDs (resolution in italics).

Whereas numerous stakeholders have, on various occasions, expressed concern about the cost of applying for new gTLDs, and suggested that these costs might hinder applicants requiring assistance, especially those from developing countries
Resolved (2010.03.12.46), the Board recognizes the importance of an inclusive New gTLD Program.
Resolved (2010.03.12.47), the Board requests stakeholders to work through their SOs and ACs, and form a Working Group to develop a sustainable approach to providing support to applicants requiring assistance in applying for and operating new gTLDs."

Two ICANN Working Groups are tackling this topic: the first is addressing the categorization of applications and has already come up with a draft report, and the second (Joint SO/AC Working Group on New gTLD Applicant Support) has just started its work, and its duty is to evaluate and propose policy recommendations regarding support to new gTLD applicants in justified cases.
Some of the AFRALO members participate in one or both WGs and work to have the African Point of View reflected in the recommendations.

AFRALO (African Regional At-Large Organization) decided in its April 2010 monthly teleconference to hold a joint meeting with the whole African community participating in the Brussels meeting to discuss the possible support for new gTLD applicants as per the Board resolution in Nairobi, and bring the African point of view to the working group.

In October 2010, AFRALO and the members of the AfrICANN caucus decided to prepare another joint event at the ICANN Cartagena meeting in December 2010.

The Organizing Committee

Mission:

1. To take care of the logistical aspects of the event
2. To prepare all the material and other organizational things needed for the event success.

Members:

Tijani Ben Jemaa (AFRALO
Dave Kissoondoyal (AFRALO)
Fatimata Seye Sylla (AFRALO)

The Drafting Team

Mission:

1. to identify the expectations of the new gTLDs African applicants as per the Board resolution regarding the support to facilitate application for and operation of the new gTLDs
2. to prepare the outcome statement to be sent to the ICANN Board and the joint SO/AC working group

Members:

Ben Akoh (AfrICANN)
Tijani Ben Jemaa (AFRALO)
Sophia Bekele (AfrICANN)
Rafik Dammak (AfrICANN)
Pierre Dandjenou (AfrICANN)
Dave Kissoondoyal (AFRALO)
Fatimata Seye Sylla (AFRALO)
Michel Tchonang (AfrICANN)

AFRALO Meetings

AFRALO/AfrICANN WG Meetings:

• 26 November 2010
• 15 November 2010
• 04 November 2010
• 16 June 2010
• 11 June 2010
• 28 May 2010

• 21 May 2010
• 07 May 2010

Draft Programme of the Joint AFRALO-AfrICANN Meeting in Cartagena

Moderateur: Fatimata Seye Sylla
Rapporteur: Dave Kissoondoyal 
Agenda:

1. Introduction and Purpose of Meeting - (Moderator: Fatimata Seye Sylla) (5 min)
2. Follow-up on Joint African Statement in light of recent developments in the new gTLD program (20 min)
   1. Presentation by Avri Doria and Evan Leibovitch
3. Africans' participation in the ICANN policy developpement (with Filiz Yilmaz, Senior Director of Participation and Engagement, ICANN)(20 min)
4. Next Steps (Fatimata Seye Sylla, Tijani Ben Jemaa and Dave Kissoondoyal) (15 min)

Milestones, Members and Mission of WG to prepare the joint AFRALO/AfrICANN meeting in Brussels

Draft Programme of the Joint AFRALO-AfrICANN Meeting in Brussels

• Introduction and Purpose of Meeting (Moderator)
• Results of Joint SO/AC WG on New gTLD Applicant Support for developing countries
• Presentations (TBC) * Experience of African applicants of new gTLDs
• Roundtable discussion on proposed Statement to the Board
• Wrap-up and next steps (Rapporteur)

Background Material

• Board resolution 20:

At the ICANN meeting in Nairobi on 12 March 2010, the ICANN Board of Directors adopted the following resolution:
"20. Support for Applicants Requesting New gTLD Applicants
Whereas, the launch of the New gTLD Program will bring fundamental change to the marketplace, including competition and innovation;
Whereas, the evolution of relationships and restrictions on relationships between registries and registrars have been a center of discussion and analysis;
Whereas, the introduction of new gTLDs will bring change and opportunity for innovation, new services and benefits for users and registrants;
Whereas, ICANN aims to ensure that the New gTLD Program is inclusive, along the lines of the organization's strategic objectives;
Whereas, ICANN has a requirement to recover the costs of new gTLD applications and on-going services to new gTLDs; and
Whereas numerous stakeholders have, on various occasions, expressed concern about the cost of applying for new gTLDs, and suggested that these costs might hinder applicants requiring assistance, especially those from developing countries.
Resolved (2010.03.12.46), the Board recognizes the importance of an inclusive New gTLD Program.
Resolved (2010.03.12.47), the Board requests stakeholders to work through their SOs and ACs, and form a Working Group to develop a sustainable approach to providing support to applicants requiring assistance in applying for and operating new gTLDs ."

• Draft JAS SO/AC Working Group Charter:

Preamble:
The Joint SO/AC Working Group on New gTLD Applicant Support shall evaluate and propose recommendations regarding specific support to new gTLD applicants in justified cases. The working group expects to identify suitable criteria for provision of such support, to identify suitable support forms and to identify potential providers of such support. However, there is no presumption that the outcome will imply any particular governing structure. Accordingly, if the recommendations indicate that the preferred solutions are of a voluntary nature, the criteria and other provisions arrived at in line with the objectives below will solely serve as advice to the parties concerned. The objectives are not listed in any priority order. An overall consideration is that the outcomes of the WG should not lead to delays of the New gTLD process.

Objective 1:
To identify suitable criteria that new gTLD applicants must fulfill to qualify for dedicated support. The criteria may be different for different types of support identified in line with Objective 2 and 3 below.

Objective 2:
To identify how the application fee can be reduced and/or subsidized to accommodate applicants that fulfill appropriate criteria to qualify for this benefit, in keeping with the principle of full cost recovery of the application process costs.

Objective 3:
To identify what kinds of support (e.g. technical assistance, organizational assistance, financial assistance, fee reduction) and support timelines (e.g. support for the application period only, continuous support) are appropriate for new gTLD applicants fulfilling identified criteria.

Objective 4:
To identify potential providers of the identified kinds of support as well as appropriate mechanisms to enable support provisioning.

Objective 5:
To identify conditions and mechanisms required to minimize the risk of inappropriate access to support.

Operating procedures for the Working Group:
The Working Group will operate according to the interim working group guidelines set out in the Draft Working guidelines of 5 Feb 2010

Milestones:

Promotional Material

The At-Large brochure will be distributed during the joint AFRALO/AfrICANN meeting. You may review it in alacafralo:English and alacafralo:French .

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COMMENTS:

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Please correct Didier's last name.

I think it will be good to have Mohamed, Dave and Hawa if they are available. We can discuss this tonight.

Fatimata

contributed by guest@socialtext.net on 2010-05-14 16:44:18 GMT

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Please also correct last name of Ben Akoh. Thanks.

contributed by guest@socialtext.net on 2010-05-25 17:41:17 GMT

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