.africa is a proposed continental top-level domain aimed at enabling online identity for the African continent and its organizations, businesses, and individuals. Managed by the ZA Central Registry and supported by the African Union, the initiative is part of ICANN's new gTLD program, which saw significant applications including over 1900 submissions from various entities. The dotAfrica Foundation aims to promote policy development and manage projects, emphasizing community involvement and strategic partnerships across African nations.

1. .Africa : Africa’s new Internet Online Identity
Mohamed El Bashir
Chair, Steering Committee
dotAFRICA
I-Week 2012, Cape Town
10-14 September 2012

2. ICANN & New gTLDs
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers “ICANN”
Responsible for the coordination of the Internet’s system of unique identifiers
Ensure the stability and security of the Internet
ICANN meeting Singapore 2011– open up the Internet for new Top Level Domains
Applicant Guide Book – stringent guidelines on the application process,
infrastructure & financial criteria, etc
http://newgtlds.icann.org

3. New gTLD Applications - .Anything
 ICANN new gTLD application process January – April 2012
 Application fee of $185 000
 ZACR handed in only application for .africa on behalf of the AUC & African
Continent
 ICANN received over 1900 applications for new gTLD, i.e. .africa, .mtn, .dstv, .africa
magic, .supersport, .music, .movies, .horse …etc
 17 applications received from the Africa

4. What is (.Africa ) ?
Continental Top Level Domain (TLD) for Africa for the use by the entire African
continent & the world
To be used by organizations, governments, business & individuals who associate
themselves or their business with Africa
Access to a huge pan-African customer base using one unique name space
Online Branding and Marketing Opportunities
e.g safricom.africa, mtn.africa, hotels.africa, music.africa, sports.africa
movies.africa, banks.africa, soulof.africa, ilove.africa

5. Who We Are?

6. Who We Are?
National Governments
InterGov. Organizations
African Union
Registry Provider
Steering Committee
ccLTD Registries
African ICANN Accredited Registrars
African Internet Society Chapters

7. AUC & dot AFRICA
Oliver Tambo Declaration – “establish dotAfrica as a continental Top Level
Domain for use by organizations, businesses, & individuals with guidance from
Internet agencies”
Abudja Declaration – “AUC requested to set up the structure and modalities for
the implementation of the dotAfrica project”
 African Union Commission “AUC” issued an RFP in December 2011 for the
selection of an African entity to apply and manage .Africa new TLD
 AUC endorsed the proposal of ZA Central Registry ( Uniforum SA) as the
selected registry operator for .Africa as a result of it’s tender evaluation process

8. ICANN GeoTLD Requirements
 provide a documentation of support or non-objection from relevant
government(s) or authority (ies)
 60% of Governments Support Required by ICANN
 Support Letters received from 72% of African
countries

9. Steering Committee Responsibilities:
 Project Oversight
 Political, Moral and Ethical leadership (Governance)
 Strategy
 Policy Development
 Awareness, Communication and Marketing

10. Steering Committee Members:
 Mohamed EL Bashir, Chair
• ccTLD Community :
– .bi ccTLD
– .ml ccTLD
– ..ng ccTLD
– .eg IDN ccTLD
• Registrar Community : Hamza Abou Elfeth ( Genious NET )
• Technical Community : Adiel Akplogan (AfriNIC )
• African Internet Community at-large :
oAbraham Djekou ( COTE D'IVOIRE )
oMs. Maimouna Diagne Diop ( SENEGAL )
oRachida Fakhri ( MOROCCO )
oTijani Bin Juma ( AfRALO , TUNISA )
• AUC :
o Moctar Moctar Yedaly, Head of Posts & Telecommunication (AUC)
oMoses Bayingana (AUC)
• ZACR : Neil Dundas

11. dot AFRICA Foundation

12. dot AFRICA Foundation:
o Post ICANN new gTLD delegation our objective to establish a non-profit
organization “dot African Foundation
o Open, Diverse and Multi-stakeholder
o dot Africa Foundation objectives :
 dot Africa TLD Policy Development;
 Setting the policies and procedures for dot Africa projects grants;
 Distribute surplus revenues of dot Africa In Internet/ICT Projects
 Monitor the progress of dot Africa Projects

13. Our Focus Areas:

14. Our Focus Areas:

15. dot AFRICA Community

16. Relationship Matrix (Community Level)
.AFRICA
African Entities :
Sponsor
Registry Operator Strategic Partner
AUC ZACR AFTLD
ZACR DotAFRICA
SteerCom Foundation
OTHER SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS
Individual ccTLDs, African Registrars, Technical Community,
Technology Providers, Internet Leaders (individuals)
INTERNET COMMUNITY & ICANN

17. Relationship Matrix (Operational)
.AFRICA
Delegation Authority
ICANN
African Entities :
Sponsor
ZACR
Registry Operator
AUC
Policy Advisory Group
PAG
ccTLD Development
AFTLD
DotAfrica
Foundation RAR Development
AFRICA Partner
Registrars
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
Registrars

18. Participate. Engage.

19. Africa in One Space
oFacebook :
facebook/africandomain
oTwitter :
twitter.com/africandomain
oWeb : www.africainonespace.org
oOpen Community mailing list : community@dotafrica.org (subscribe on website)

20. Thank You
ً
‫شكرا جزيال‬
ً
Merci
Asante
Dankie
Amesegënallô
Nagode
Abaraka
Djere dief
Ndiyabulela
Enkosi