African ccTLDs hesitate to tap ICANN support

Misconception about the role of ICANN has kept many African ccTLDs from taking advantage of support from the organization, according to experts says IDG.The article notes more than half of Africa’s ccTLDs have not joined ICANN’s ccNSO “because of the perceived influence of the U.S. government, while others fear that joining the body would antagonize political leaders in their countries.””Some African ccTLDs have kept away from the ccNSO because of the whole controversy of the ICANN Joint Partnership Agreement with the U.S. government,” said Vika Mpisane, president of Africa Top Level Domain Organization (AfTLD). “I get a sense there’s a slowly growing discomfort amongst some African governments with the continuing U.S. oversight over ICANN.””If governments are uncomfortable, ccTLD managers in those countries are unlikely to bother joining the ccNSO, because such a step may be seen in itself as legitimizing the U.S. oversight over ICANN. No ccTLD manager would want to be at loggerheads with its government,” added Mpisane.Paulos Nyirenda, who has represented Malawi at ccNSO meetings, added that while European and Asia Pacific membership of the ccNSO has continued to grow, African membership has stalled.To try and get more ccNSO members from African countries, AfTLD has taken over the role of encouraging African countries to join. However there are other issues that impact on African ccTLDs attending ICANN meetings including “there are ccTLDs that have either just finished the re-delegation process of their ccTLD or are going through it. For these countries, the primary task is setting up functioning and sustainable registries.”To read this IDG report in full, see:
www.infoworld.com/t/internet/african-cctlds-hesitate-tap-icann-support-851