Dear Listers, Gambia, 30th January 2019 Africa Top Level Domains Organization (AFTLD) and the Senegal Network Information Centre (NIC.SN) will be facilitating an Initial Registry Operators Course in the Gambia as from 4th to 8th February 2019 at the Paradise Suites Hotel. The workshop has been organized by the Internet Society Gambia Chapter and the Information Technology Association of the Gambia on behalf of the .GM delegation committee with the support of the Ministry of Information and Communications, The Public Utilities and Regulatory Authority, University of the Gambia and Private Sector stakeholders. The objective of the workshop is to equip the Gambian multistakeholder community with the skills needed to manage and sustain the .GM registry once the delegation process that is currently underway is completed. The Initial Registry Operators Course is an entry level course for organizations and people interested and involved in management of ccTLD registries. They include but are not limited officials from public sector institutions such as regulators, research and education networks, internet service providers, the media and civil society. More than 30 participants from the Gambia and other African Countries are expected to participate in the workshop. About AFTLD AfTLD is recognized as the representative of country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) managers from Africa. It is an active participant in the ICANN ccNSO, and also actively participates in various Internet governance fora with the African continent and beyond, including the IGF, where it has run a number of workshops. With collaboration in Internet governance and development a cornerstone of the bottom up policy development processes that make the Internet truly a multi-stakeholder phenomenon, AfTLD works in collaboration and partnership with other Regional Top Level Domain Organizations (RTLDOs), these being APTLD, CENTR and LACTLD. www.aftld.org About IT Association of the Gambia The Information Technology of the Gambia (ITAG) was incorporated in the Gambia on the 3rd of August 2004. The organization’s membership cuts across a wide spectrum of professionals covering all aspects of ICT. Since Inception the organization has not only been committed to promoting the ICT industry in the Gambia but has continuously been proactive in the developments of ICT in the country. The Ministry of Information Communication and Infrastructure, the Gambia has recognized ITAG as the sole ICT professional organization in the Gambia. ITAG’s work focuses primarily on advocacy, capacity building, through its various seminars, workshops and conferences covering various thematic themes and its collaborations with the Ministry of Information Communication and Infrastructure and other partners towards having a vibrant and productive ICT sector based on its vision, mission and core values. About the Internet Society Gambia Chapter The Internet Society Gambia Chapter (ISOC Gambia) is a civil society organisation that is providing leadership in Internet related standards, education and policy. It is dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution and use of the Internet for the benefit of people throughout The Gambia. The Internet Society supports and promotes the development of the Internet as a national and global technical infrastructure, a resource to enrich people's lives, and a force for good in society. Chapter work aligns with its goals for the Internet to be open, nationally and globally-connected, secure, and trustworthy. The chapter works closely with Ministry of Information and communication Infrastructure MOICI, Public Utilities and Regulatory Authority - PURA, Academic, Media fraternity, Information Technology Association of the Gambia ITAG among other interest groups and individual users of the Internet of The Gambia. www.isoc.gm Contacts:secretariat@aftld.org