Thanks Barrack. Lerato and all others I want to ask you all for the sake of the community lets bury the hatchet and try out an experiment. Lets listen to each other's position and seek out a mid point that moves us forward. We all make a choice to volunteer our time and effort for the community. So how about we take Toronto as the opportunity to right whatever we think went wrong without destroying all the work that was done. For ounce lets try to move forward as a community. The diversity of this community means that we will never see everything from the same viewpoint. I challenge us all to humble our selves and go to Toronto those of us who will be there with an open mind to listen to each other "seek first to understand then be understood". Then leave Toronto as one community with a shared vision on the Africa strategy. Lets make a choice to join the bus moving forward or stay outside. But as Barrack rightly says the "desktop activism" needs to stop being negative and look for constructive alternatives. Regards The best time to plant a tree is 20yrs ago The second best time is now (chinese proverb) -----Original Message----- From: africann-bounces@afrinic.net [mailto:africann-bounces@afrinic.net] On Behalf Of Barrack Otieno Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2012 7:03 AM To: Lerato; africann@afrinic.net Cc: afri-discuss@atlarge-lists.icann.org; Mohamed El Bashir Subject: Re: [AfrICANN-discuss] RE: [AFRI-Discuss] Theme of the Toronto AFRALO-AfrICANN joint meeting Dr Yassin and Lerato, It is my understanding there was no consensus on the "Africa Strategy" and

has been widely reported at ICANN. I would like to correct a few issues that are being ignorantly thrown around, i sat in a meeting room in Prague where this issue was being discussed and there was a call for volunteers, Lerato i would like to inform you that while i was making my submissions on behalf of the constituency i represent your boss was right opposite where i sat so do not mislead the community. In the process members of the African community themselves appointed volunteers among them to come up with a common front or strategy and i recall being tasked to be among the people doing this role, there were many people in the room but few volunteered. I also had a chance to meet the new CEO among many other Africans and indeed he was concerned about our region, what we should note is there are those who offered themselves to do the donkey work for the community. My point is as follows. If we are to move the community forwad let us be involved, desktop activism without without involvement will not get us anywhere if you miss a meeting for any reason there is remote participation we should take advantage of but activism for the sake of activism is not good i therefore urge you to take the first step and participate in the process as part of activism other than complain and point fingures. I leave you with Chinua Achebes words A man that makes trouble for others also makes trouble for himself.

On Sat, Sep 8, 2012 at 3:54 AM, Lerato <lerato.ma@yahoo.com> wrote:

++1 Dr. Yassin

It is my understanding there was no consensus on the "Africa Strategy" and has been widely reported at ICANN. The organizers did not even send to this list the final working group that we should have added our names to participate or not, as they said they will do initially?

I agree in that, why should a regular meeting of ICANN gets sidelined on something that is imposed on it by "Africa Strategy", that which does

not

have consensus. It is a shame to see African initiatives at ICANN are going to run under protest, evidencing that Africans have no ability to coordinate! In the meantime, ICANN resource is being used to perform an outshine of one initiative over another.

May I also request whatever concept note being developed for this "important" meeting be shared on this list ahead of time ( 2 weeks before minimum), so that the meeting does not hold a consensus without again consulting the content with us? I would assume the Africa opinion is not one that can afford to go to ICANN meetings. Expect a protest from me if this does not happen.

Kind regards,

--Lerato Ma

________________________________ From: Dr Yassin Mshana <ymshana2003@gmail.com> To: ndonnang@isoc-cameroon.org; africann@afrinic.net Cc: afri-discuss@atlarge-lists.icann.org; Mohamed El Bashir <mbashir@mbash.net> Sent: Friday, September 7, 2012 5:14 PM Subject: Re: [AfrICANN-discuss] RE: [AFRI-Discuss] Theme of the Toronto AFRALO-AfrICANN joint meeting

Dear fellow Africans,

As much as I like to discuss issues concerning Africa, may I ask why should these discussions happen during ICANN meetings?

The ICANN meetings are set to discuss global issues - if we Africans take advantage of the ICANN meeting to do our homework things will end up like the way the African Caucus meeting in Prague Meeting ended = there were no consultations - therefore a few individuals set up a 'Strategy for Africa' notion to be presented during Toronto ICANN Meeting?? That is like building a castle on the sand - that is the Truth since consultations did no take place within Africans at large.

There is nothing to stop one (me) thinking that these impromptu African Group meetings during ICANN meetings week - are not effectively representing African interest and ambition BUT taking advantage of ICANN resources and that of Africans.

I had stuck out my neck to stop the 'Strategy for Africa' from being presented at ICANN Toronto meeting but that seems to be going ahead without Africans having their Say since there were no consultations - just a few Africans with resources provided to attend ICANN meetings took advantage to have a 'coffee break' discussion funded by someone else?

ICANN Meetings are meant for discussion on global issues not venue for Africans or other discuss domestic issues. I therefore wish to discourage this statement from email below that, The meeting will be a good chance also for the community to discuss about our areas of focus and interest and how ICANN and the internet community could collaborate .

I do not mean to say anything but the Truth. If one attend ICANN meeting should go there with Global Agenda - African issues have AU venue for that not to use ICANN venue. Maybe ICANN Toronto meeting is different? No! ICANN resources are not for that..

If you will excuse me....

Kind regards

Yassin

On 7 September 2012 22:23, Victor Ndonnang <ndonnang@isoc-cameroon.org> wrote:

+1 I totally agree with Mohamed. ICANN45 in Toronto will mark the launch or the presentation of ICANN's Strategy for Africa and It is important for AfrALO-AfrICANN community to keep focusing on that important initiative. The ICANN Africa Strategy working group (ICANN-ASWG) sent sometimes ago a questionnaire to this mailing list and I hope all of us took time to complete that questionnaire. So to join what Mohamed said, I suggest that our joint meeting in Toronto be an occasion to adopt a common statement on what can be the best ICANN strategy plan for Africa.

Best regards, Victor Ndonnang SG-ISOC Cameroon Chapter ICANN Fellow.

-----Message d'origine----- De : afri-discuss-bounces@atlarge-lists.icann.org [mailto:afri-discuss-bounces@atlarge-lists.icann.org] De la part de Mohamed El Bashir Envoyé : vendredi 7 septembre 2012 10:39 À : Aziz Hilali Cc : afri-discuss@atlarge-lists.icann.org; africann@afrinic.net Objet : Re: [AFRI-Discuss] Theme of the Toronto AFRALO-AfrICANN joint meeting

Dear Aziz, Colleagues

ICANN new CEO/Leadership has started focusing a new ICANN role in the developing world with special focus on Africa. Choosing Dr.Tarik Kamil as an advisor and Dr.Nii is clear signals tof this new approach.

I suggest the meeting to focus on "ICANN Strategic Approach Towards Africa", we can invite ICANN CEO "Chedi", Tarik Kamil, Nii and others involved to give their prospective on how Africa can utilize this opportunity.

The meeting will be a good chance also for the community to discuss about our areas of focus and interest and how ICANN and the internet community could collaborate .

Kind Regards, Mohamed El Bashir

( Sent by iPhone - apologies for any misspelling )

On 7 Sep 2012, at 00:21, Aziz Hilali <hilaliaziz@yahoo.fr> wrote:

...

French below:

Dear all, As we did during the previous ICANN meetings, we will discuss an issue or subject of interest to our region at the scheduled AFRALO / AfrICANN meeting in Toronto. As a result of this meeting, we will come out, as usual, with a common statement on the above subject.

The aim of this message is to ask you to please, suggest a theme that you think would be the most pertinent in this regard. We would appreciate your proposal being sent before September 14. The subject will be chosen on the basis of the importance of its support on the two lists AfrICANN and AFRALO.

It should be noted that the interest of this tradition, which we organize together since Brussels, is to express the point of view of the African ICANN community on current issues and thus give more visibility for our region.

Best Regards

---------------------------------- Chers tous,

Comme nous l'avons fait au cours des précédentes réunions de l'ICANN, nous allons organiser à Toronto la réunion conjointe AFRALO/AfrICANN pour débattre d’une question ou d’un sujet d'intérêt pour notre région. À la suite de cette réunion, nous allons sortir comme d'habitude, avec une déclaration commune sur le sujet choisi.

Le but de ce message est de vous demander de bien vouloir proposer un thème que vous pensez être le plus pertinent à cet égard. Nous apprécierions que la proposition de thème soit envoyée avant 14 Septembre. Le sujet choisi devra avoir l’approbation des deux listes AfrICANN et Afralo.

Il est à noter que l'intérêt de cette tradition que nous organisons ensemble depuis Bruxelles, est d'exprimer le point de vue de la communauté africaine de l'ICANN sur les questions d'actualité et de donner ainsi plus de visibilité pour notre région.

============================ Aziz Hilali Président de Isoc Maroc www.misoc.org B.P. 68 04, Medinat Al Irfane, Av. Allal Al Fassi Rabat - Maroc Téléphone: + 212. 6 61 40 15 15============================= _______________________________________________ AFRI-Discuss mailing list AFRI-Discuss@atlarge-lists.icann.org https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/afri-discuss

Homepage for the region: http://www.afralo.org

Posting guidelines to ensure machine translations of emails sent to this list are more accurate: http://www.funredes.org/mistica/english/emec/method_emec/presentation. html#anexo1

---

AFRI-Discuss mailing list AFRI-Discuss@atlarge-lists.icann.org https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/afri-discuss

Homepage for the region: http://www.afralo.org

Posting guidelines to ensure machine translations of emails sent to this list are more accurate: http://www.funredes.org/mistica/english/emec/method_emec/presentation. html#anexo1

_______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN@afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

-- Independent Consultant c/o DFID-Sierra Leone 5 Off Spur Road, Wilberforce Freetown,SIERRA LEONE Skype: yassinmshana1, Mobile:+23276926697, Fax: (+232) 22235769 Do You really NEED TO PRINT THIS? "The illiterates of the 21st century are not those who cannot read or write but those who cannot learn, relearn and unlearn" Alvin Toffler

_______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN@afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

_______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN@afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

-- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254-20-2498789 Skype: barrack.otieno http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/ _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN@afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann