June 2014 - ALAC-Announce - lists.icann.org

PLEASE RSVP Monthly GNSO WG Newcomer Open House Session
by ICANN At-Large Staff Aug. 28, 2014

Aug. 28, 2014

Monthly GNSO WG Newcomer Open House Session These ongoing monthly sessions are for new GNSO WG participants to come together and discuss any questions they may have about GNSO Working Groups, procedures and/or processes. We know there is a lot of information to digest when you join a GNSO Working Group and these monthly meetings are an opportunity for newcomers and more experienced participants to meet in an informal setting without the pressure of "real work" that needs be done. The agenda is flexible. The presenters will be ready with a standard set of materials if people would like to discuss them. Feel free to submit questions, either in advance or at the beginning of the meeting, if there is a topic that you would like to explore in more depth . Providing useful answers to a wide range of questions is part of the reason why these meetings are Thursday 3 July at 20.00 UTC Thursday 7 August at 12.00 UTC Thursday 4 September at 20.00 UTC Thursday 2 October at 12.00 UTC Thursday 6 November at 20.00 UTC Thursday 4 December at 12.00 UTC To convert to your local time zone, please see http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html. If you are interested to join the next meeting on 3 July or any of the future meetings, please let the GNSO Secretariat know (gnso-secs(a)icann.org<mailto:gnso-secs@icann.org>) and we will send you the call details. If there are any specific questions you already have, or any overviews or introductions you think would be helpful (e.g. GNSO Policy Development Process or GNSO Working Group guidelines), please let us know in advance and we will prepare materials accordingly. Feel free to share this invitation with others that you think may be interested. We look forward to welcoming you at the next meeting! Nathalie Peregrine & Terri Agnew GNSO Secretariat

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REMINDER: Call for membership of the At-Large Sub-Committee on the Selection of Members for the IANA Stewardship Steering Committee - deadline tomorrow, 28 May!
by ICANN At-Large Staff July 2, 2014

July 2, 2014

Dear All, This is a friendly reminder to please indicate your interest in joining the At-Large Sub-Committee on the Selection of Members for the IANA Stewardship Steering Committee. This Sub-Committee will be responsible for the selection of two ALAC representatives for the ICANN-wide IANA Stewardship Transition Steering Committee. Please either indicate your interest by commenting on the At-Large Sub-Committee on the Selection of Members for the IANA Stewardship Steering Committee Workspace which is available at: https://community.icann.org/display/atlarge/At-Large+Sub-Committee+on+the+S… or by writing At-Large staff at: staff(a)atlarge.icann.org<mailto:staff@atlarge.icann.org> by 23.59 UTC tomorrow, Wednesday, 28 May 2014. Regards, Heidi Ullrich, Silvia Vivanco, Ariel Liang, Gisella Gruber, Nathalie Peregrine and Terri Agnew ICANN Policy Staff in support of ALAC E-mail: staff(a)atlarge.icann.org<applewebdata://68497759-1B04-4F9B-84B7-B9445B8F305F/Regards,%20Heidi%20Ullrich,%20Silvia%20Vivanco,%20Matt%20Ashtiani,%20Ariel%20Liang,%20Gisella%20Gruber,%20Nathalie%20Peregrine%20and%20Julia%20Charvolen%20ICANN%20Policy%20Staff%20in%20support%20of%20ALACmailto:staff@atlarge.icann.org> From: ICANN At-Large Staff Sent: Friday, May 23, 2014 4:23 PM To: alac-announce(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org; afri-discuss(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org; apac-discuss(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org; euro-discuss(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org; lac-discuss-en(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org; na-discuss(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org Cc: Olivier Crépin-Leblond (ocl(a)gih.com) ICANN At-Large Staff (staff(a)atlarge.icann.org) Subject: Call for membership of the At-Large Sub-Committee on the Selection of Members for the IANA Stewardship Steering Committee Dear All, Olivier Crépin-Leblond, Chair of the ALAC, has requested a call for membership of the At-Large Sub-Committee on the Selection of Members for the IANA Stewardship Steering Committee. This Sub-Committee will be responsible for the selection of two ALAC representatives for the ICANN-wide IANA Stewardship Transition Steering Committee. Please note that members of this sub-committee will NOT be able to apply for a position to be in the IANA Stewardship Steering Committee. Interested members from the At-Large community are welcome to join. Please either indicate your interest by commenting on the At-Large Sub-Committee on the Selection of Members for the IANA Stewardship Steering Committee Workspace which is available at: https://community.icann.org/display/atlarge/At-Large+Sub-Committee+on+the+S… or by writing At-Large staff at: staff(a)atlarge.icann.org<mailto:staff@atlarge.icann.org> by 23.59 UTC on Wednesday, 28 May 2014. Regards, Heidi Ullrich, Silvia Vivanco, Ariel Liang, Gisella Gruber, Nathalie Peregrine and Terri Agnew ICANN Policy Staff in support of ALAC E-mail: staff(a)atlarge.icann.org<applewebdata://68497759-1B04-4F9B-84B7-B9445B8F305F/Regards,%20Heidi%20Ullrich,%20Silvia%20Vivanco,%20Matt%20Ashtiani,%20Ariel%20Liang,%20Gisella%20Gruber,%20Nathalie%20Peregrine%20and%20Julia%20Charvolen%20ICANN%20Policy%20Staff%20in%20support%20of%20ALACmailto:staff@atlarge.icann.org>

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ICANN News Alert -- GAC Communiqué Issued at ICANN Meeting in London
by ICANN At-Large Staff June 27, 2014

June 27, 2014

[http://www.icann.org/images/gradlogo_bow.jpg]<http://www.icann.org/> News Alert https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2014-06-26-en ________________________________ GAC Communiqué Issued at ICANN Meeting in London 26 June 2014 The Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) today issued its communiqué during ICANN's 50th public meeting in London. To download a copy, click here<https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/gac-to-board-25jun14-e…> [PDF, 139 KB].

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REMINDER - ICANN 50 Meeting Reports
by ICANN At-Large Staff June 25, 2014

June 25, 2014

Hello All, As a friendly reminder, please kindly upload your *ICANN 50 Meeting* reports to the workspace here: https://community.icann.org/x/3pbhAg. For clarification, this workspace is *not* for uploading ATLAS II thematic group reports, but only for the ICANN 50 Meeting. Regards, Heidi Ullrich, Silvia Vivanco, Ariel Liang, Gisella Gruber, Nathalie Peregrine and Terri Agnew ICANN Policy Staff in support of ALAC E-mail: <mailto:staff@atlarge.icann.org%3cmailto:staff@atlarge.icann.org> staff(a)atlarge.icann.org<applewebdata://68497759-1B04-4F9B-84B7-B9445B8F305F/Regards,%20Heidi%20Ullrich,%20Silvia%20Vivanco,%20Matt%20Ashtiani,%20Ariel%20Liang,%20Gisella%20Gruber,%20Nathalie%20Peregrine%20and%20Julia%20Charvolen%20ICANN%20Policy%20Staff%20in%20support%20of%20ALACmailto:staff@atlarge.icann.org> Facebook: www.facebook.com/icann.atlarge<https://www.facebook.com/icann.atlarge> Twitter: @ICANN_AtLarge<https://twitter.com/ICANN_AtLarge>

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ICANN News Alert -- ICANN and CATR Signs Memorandum of Understanding to Enhance Collaboration Between ICANN and Chinese Stakeholders | Closer Collaboration on Engagement Efforts in China
by ICANN At-Large Staff June 24, 2014

June 24, 2014

[http://www.icann.org/images/gradlogo_bow.jpg]<http://www.icann.org/> News Alert https://www.icann.org/resources/press-material/release-2014-06-24-en ________________________________ ICANN and CATR Signs Memorandum of Understanding to Enhance Collaboration Between ICANN and Chinese Stakeholders | Closer Collaboration on Engagement Efforts in China 24 June 2014 London, United Kingdom… ICANN and the China Academy of Telecommunication Research (CATR) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to forge closer collaboration on engagement efforts in China. Under the cooperative agreement, ICANN and CATR will work together to improve communication with Chinese communities, align academic and public research in IP address and domain name areas, and exchange opinions on Internet governance. CATR will also help to promote participation from the Chinese community in ICANN activities such as ICANN public meetings. "This partnership is a testament to how China – a country with over one fifth of the global Internet population and a vibrant Internet industry – can engage and contribute in the ICANN global community," said Fadi Chehadé, ICANN President and Chief Executive Officer. "This marks another milestone in ICANN's globalization efforts after we established our first engagement center in Beijing last April." CATR President, Cao Shumin and Fadi Chehadé signed the MOU at ICANN's 50th Public Meeting in London, United Kingdom. "CATR is a constructive player in ICANN's community and appreciates ICANN's globalization effort. This MOU will go a long way to promote the mutual understanding," said Cao Shumin. "We believe that this cooperation program will bring ICANN closer to the Chinese Internet users and industry. We are delighted to work with ICANN on such a meaningful program, especially at such a critical transformation period of ICANN." Kuek Yu-Chuang, ICANN's Vice President and Managing Director for ICANN Asia Pacific commented that CATR is recognized as a renowned national research institute with over 50 years experience in technological and policy research. "CATR has rich experience and wide connection in working with China's government, academia and industry. We are very excited to collaborate with a close partner such as CATR. Our cooperation will not only benefit China, but also set examples for ICANN's collaboration with other countries in the Asia Pacific," he added. The China Academy of Telecommunication Research is a unit of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). It supports the government and serves the ICT industry in China. It is a pillar unit in the ICT field in China and a major supportive unit for MIIT in comprehensive policies, giving full support to MIIT in terms of technologies and policies at both macro and micro levels from domestic and international perspectives. # # # To download high resolution photos of the signing ceremony, click here<https://www.flickr.com/photos/icann/sets/72157645308557551/>. Media Contacts Liana Teo Head of Communications, Asia Pacific Singapore Tel: +65 6808 6669 Email: liana.teo(a)icann.org<mailto:liana.teo@icann.org> About ICANN ICANN's mission is to ensure a stable, secure and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet you have to type an address into your computer - a name or a number. That address has to be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN coordinates these unique identifiers across the world. Without that coordination we wouldn't have one global Internet. ICANN was formed in 1998. It is a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation with participants from all over the world dedicated to keeping the Internet secure, stable and interoperable. It promotes competition and develops policy on the Internet's unique identifiers. ICANN doesn't control content on the Internet. It cannot stop spam and it doesn't deal with access to the Internet. But through its coordination role of the Internet's naming system, it does have an important impact on the expansion and evolution of the Internet. For more information please visit: www.icann.org<https://www.icann.org>.

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ICANN News Alert -- Westlake Governance Appointed to Conduct Independent Review of the GNSO
by ICANN At-Large Staff June 23, 2014

June 23, 2014

[http://www.icann.org/images/gradlogo_bow.jpg]<http://www.icann.org/> News Alert https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-3-2014-06-23-en ________________________________ Westlake Governance Appointed to Conduct Independent Review of the GNSO 23 June 2014 The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ("ICANN") has appointed Westlake Governance Limited ("Westlake Governance") to conduct an independent review of the Generic Names Supporting Organization ("GNSO"). This review is part of ICANN's commitment to continuous improvement, accountability and transparency. The GNSO<http://gnso.icann.org/en/> serves an important function – it is responsible for developing and recommending to the ICANN Board substantive policies relating to generic top-level domains. The purpose of the review is to evaluate organizational effectiveness of the GNSO, acknowledge areas that are working well, identify areas that need improvement and propose needed changes. This review, like reviews of other structures within ICANN, is mandated by ICANN's Bylaws<https://www.icann.org/en/about/governance/bylaws>. The GNSO Review addresses the new, improved approach to conducting reviews. The GNSO will be a protagonist in this inclusive process: in keeping with ICANN's bottom-up, multistakeholder approach, this review process will incorporate a "self-review" by the GNSO community and its direct involvement. An online survey will collect feedback from other ICANN structures and community members, the Board and staff. Westlake will collect both quantitative and qualitative data through various work methods to develop a sufficient basis for formulating findings and recommendations. The review will begin immediately and is expected to conclude in January 2015. The selection of an independent examiner is done in accordance with the process defined in SIC Systematization of Organizational Reviews Processes<https://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/improvements/proposals-systematizatio…> [PDF, 671 KB] and involves Organizational Review staff and the Structural Improvements Committee of the Board ("SIC"). Seven proposals were carefully evaluated and the evaluation results and scores were presented for consideration and action by the ICANN Board Structural Improvements Committee. The selection criteria included: Knowledge and Expertise (including knowledge of ICANN), Qualifications of the Professional Team Assigned (including ability to act independently, without conflict of interest); Proposed Methodology; Ability to Deliver High Quality, Useful Report and Recommendations; and Costs. Westlake Governance<http://westlakegovernance.com/who-we-are/> is a globally-focused, New Zealand-based consulting firm, serving clients from a wide cross-section of not-for-profit, commercial and government-owned sectors. The firm has performed reviews of ICANN's At-Large Advisory Committee ("ALAC") and the Root Server System Advisory Committee ("RSSAC"). Additional information: * GNSO Review Frequently Asked Questions and Answers<https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/48337501/GNSO%20Review%20F…> [PDF, 1.23 MB] * GNSO Review working space - wiki<https://community.icann.org/display/GR2/GNSO+Review+2014+Home> * GNSO web site<http://gnso.icann.org/en/> * Organizational Reviews Information<https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/reviews-2012-02-25-en>

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ICANN News Alert -- Westlake Governance Appointed to Conduct Independent Review of the GNSO
by ICANN At-Large Staff June 23, 2014

June 23, 2014

[http://www.icann.org/images/gradlogo_bow.jpg]<http://www.icann.org/> News Alert https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-3-2014-06-23-en ________________________________ Westlake Governance Appointed to Conduct Independent Review of the GNSO 23 June 2014 The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ("ICANN") has appointed Westlake Governance Limited ("Westlake Governance") to conduct an independent review of the Generic Names Supporting Organization ("GNSO"). This review is part of ICANN's commitment to continuous improvement, accountability and transparency. The GNSO<http://gnso.icann.org/en/> serves an important function – it is responsible for developing and recommending to the ICANN Board substantive policies relating to generic top-level domains. The purpose of the review is to evaluate organizational effectiveness of the GNSO, acknowledge areas that are working well, identify areas that need improvement and propose needed changes. This review, like reviews of other structures within ICANN, is mandated by ICANN's Bylaws<https://www.icann.org/en/about/governance/bylaws>. The GNSO Review addresses the new, improved approach to conducting reviews. The GNSO will be a protagonist in this inclusive process: in keeping with ICANN's bottom-up, multistakeholder approach, this review process will incorporate a "self-review" by the GNSO community and its direct involvement. An online survey will collect feedback from other ICANN structures and community members, the Board and staff. Westlake will collect both quantitative and qualitative data through various work methods to develop a sufficient basis for formulating findings and recommendations. The review will begin immediately and is expected to conclude in January 2015. The selection of an independent examiner is done in accordance with the process defined in SIC Systematization of Organizational Reviews Processes<https://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/improvements/proposals-systematizatio…> [PDF, 671 KB] and involves Organizational Review staff and the Structural Improvements Committee of the Board ("SIC"). Seven proposals were carefully evaluated and the evaluation results and scores were presented for consideration and action by the ICANN Board Structural Improvements Committee. The selection criteria included: Knowledge and Expertise (including knowledge of ICANN), Qualifications of the Professional Team Assigned (including ability to act independently, without conflict of interest); Proposed Methodology; Ability to Deliver High Quality, Useful Report and Recommendations; and Costs. Westlake Governance<http://westlakegovernance.com/who-we-are/> is a globally-focused, New Zealand-based consulting firm, serving clients from a wide cross-section of not-for-profit, commercial and government-owned sectors. The firm has performed reviews of ICANN's At-Large Advisory Committee ("ALAC") and the Root Server System Advisory Committee ("RSSAC"). Additional information: * GNSO Review Frequently Asked Questions and Answers<https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/48337501/GNSO%20Review%20F…> [PDF, 1.23 MB] * GNSO Review working space - wiki<https://community.icann.org/display/GR2/GNSO+Review+2014+Home> * GNSO web site<http://gnso.icann.org/en/> * Organizational Reviews Information<https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/reviews-2012-02-25-en>

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ICANN Newsletter -- 20 June 2014
by ICANN At-Large Staff June 23, 2014

June 23, 2014

[http://www.icann.org/images/gradlogo_bow.jpg]<http://www.icann.org/> ICANN Weekly Newsletter News from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers http://www.icann.org/ Week ending 20 June 2014 ________________________________ Announcements This Week Update on Root Zone Label Generation Rule Generation Panel Formation<https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-3-2014-06-21-en> As we approach ICANN 50, ICANN is pleased to share the steady momentum of the development on the formation of Generation Panels for developing the script proposals. 20 June 2014 Maximal Starting Repertoire Version 1 (MSR-1) for the Development of Label Generation Rules for the Root Zone<https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2-2014-06-20-en> To support IDN labels in the root zone, the ICANN community, at the direction of the Board, undertook several projects to study and make recommendations on their viability and delegation. 20 June 2014 Experienced Internet Veterans Return to ICANN to Support Global Engagement and Technical Excellence<https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2014-06-20-en> 20 June 2014 – The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) today announced that it is has named David Conrad to the newly created position of Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and Anne-Rachel Inné to the role of VP, Government Engagement – Geneva. 20 June 2014 Universal Acceptance of TLDs Draft Roadmap<https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2014-06-18-en> To solicit community comment on draft roadmap for the Universal Acceptance Initiative. 18 June 2014 ICANN Grants Data Retention Waiver to BLACKNIGHT INTERNET SOLUTIONS LTD.<https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2-2014-06-16-en> BLACKNIGHT INTERNET SOLUTIONS LTD. ("Registrar") submitted to ICANN a Registrar Data Retention Waiver Request ("Waiver Request") on the basis of Registrar's contention that compliance with the data collection and/or retention requirements of the Data Retention Specification in the 2013 RAA violates applicable law in Ireland. 16 June 2014 ICANN Grants Data Retention Waiver to NAMEWEB BVBA<https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2014-06-16-en> NAMEWEB BVBA ("Registrar") submitted to ICANN a Registrar Data Retention Waiver Request ("Waiver Request") on the basis of Registrar's contention that compliance with the data collection and/or retention requirements of the Data Retention Specification in the 2013 RAA violates applicable law in Belgium. 16 June 2014 ________________________________ Upcoming Events [http://london50.icann.org/sites/default/files/logo-300x214-30apr14-en.png]2… June 2014: 50th International Public ICANN Meeting – London<http://london50.icann.org/> About ICANN ICANN Bylaws<http://www.icann.org/en/general/bylaws.htm> Our bylaws are very important to us. They capture our mission of security, stability and accessibility, and compel the organization to be open and transparent. Learn more at www.ICANN.org<http://www.icann.org/>. Strategic Plan, 2012 - 2015<http://www.icann.org/en/planning/> Adopted FY14 Operating Plan and Budget<http://www.icann.org/en/financials/budget-opplan.htm>

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ICANN News Alert -- Largest Ever ICANN Meeting Convenes in London | Affirmation of Multistakeholder Model for Internet Governance by World Leaders
by ICANN At-Large Staff June 23, 2014

June 23, 2014

[http://www.icann.org/images/gradlogo_bow.jpg]<http://www.icann.org/> News Alert https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2014-06-23-en ________________________________ Largest Ever ICANN Meeting Convenes in London | Affirmation of Multistakeholder Model for Internet Governance by World Leaders 23 June 2014 More than 3,300 people from around the world have registered for ICANN's 50th meeting in London, making it the largest in the organization's history. "Today is a great day for advancement of the multistakeholder model and its inclusivity," said Fadi Chehadé, President and CEO of ICANN. "ICANN 50 is a milestone meeting for many reasons, not the least of which is the remarkable affirmations of the multistakeholder model it has brought." Chehadé applauded the Chinese government's adoption of the DNSSEC deployment and the expansion of the IPv6 protocol, which he said will assure the expansion of the continued global expansion of the Internet. Minister Lu Wei of China's Cyberspace Affairs Administration told attendees, "We all hold one single aspiration, i.e. to improve the governance of the Internet. This is in line with ICANN's vision of 'One World, One Internet'." Minister Lu expressed appreciation and support for the advancements of the multistakeholder model that framed the NETmundial meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil in April. Minister Lu's comments followed the recognition of the newly formed Lebanon Internet Center or LINC. Dr. Imad Hoballah, a member of the LINC Board, said, "The multistakeholder approach draws its strength from the ability to bring together diverse views, and align them to a common goal of a global, interoperable Internet." Chehadé acknowledged the announcements by both Lebanon and China, "Both are a testament to the world's growing commitment to an inclusive multistakeholder Internet governance model, as is the remarkably high participation from so many people from every region of the world." The U.K.'s Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries Edward Vaizey told attendees, "The Internet, as it has been governed, has to be seen as an unqualified success story. It's created the opportunity for massive economic growth and for greater intellectual freedom. So if we're going to look at the governance of the Internet, it's important that we preserve those principles." Board Chair, Dr. Stephen Crocker, embraced ICANN's maturation to meet the needs of an expanding online world. "Our world, - the Internet world… is constantly evolving, changing to meet the ever-expanding number of global Internet users" The Board Chair for the UK Internet registry Nominet, Baroness Rennie Fritchie said, "We approach the challenge of Internet governance with the same appetite, finding better ways of doing our bit, working together and a desire to make real progress." "In an increasingly globalized world, having a sense of identity, of course, becomes ever more important," the First Minister of Wales, the Rt Hon Carwyn James told attendees, "The Internet allows us to make connections that go beyond our local neighborhoods and even beyond our country's borders, allowing individuals to develop their personal identity in whatever manner they see fit." ICANN also announced the winner of the 2014 Multistakeholder Ethos Award – Avri Doria, policy and governance advisor for dotgay LLC. The Multistakeholder Ethos Award recognizes ICANN participants who have deeply invested in consensus-based solutions, recognized the importance of ICANN's multistakeholder model of Internet governance, and contributed in a substantive way to the higher interests of ICANN's organization and its community. ICANN's 50th meeting will continue through the week with sessions on ICANN's global accountability and consideration of the U.S. government's proposal to transition of the stewardship of the Internet's technical functions to global multistakeholder model. ### To learn more about ICANN50 go here: http://london50.icann.org/en/. To download high-res pictures of the meeting, go to: https://www.flickr.com/photos/icann

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ICANN News Alert -- ICANN Signs Agreements with Qatar and Egypt Promoting the DNS Industry and IG Multi-stakeholder Approach in the Middle East and Africa | Establishment of a Regional DNS Entrepreneurship Center (DNS-EC)
by ICANN At-Large Staff June 23, 2014

June 23, 2014

[http://www.icann.org/images/gradlogo_bow.jpg]<http://www.icann.org/> News Alert https://www.icann.org/resources/press-material/release-2-2014-06-23-en ________________________________ ICANN Signs Agreements with Qatar and Egypt Promoting the DNS Industry and IG Multi-stakeholder Approach in the Middle East and Africa | Establishment of a Regional DNS Entrepreneurship Center (DNS-EC) 23 June 2014 London, UK…ICANN announced today the signing of two important agreements during the High-Level Government Meeting at ICANN's 50th Public Meeting in London. Attended by approximately 30 ministers from around the globe the signing showcases ICANN's continued regional engagement amongst different stakeholders, in promoting the DNS industry and the Internet governance multistakeholder approach nationally, regionally and globally. "As the Internet evolves to accommodate the needs of the next billion users – most of whom will not be using a Latin keyboard – it is critical that we, as the greater Internet community, continue to build the necessary infrastructure and capacity for its growth," said Fadi Chehadé, President of ICANN. "Such strategic partnerships are the best way for ICANN to extend its reach globally and support the excellent work being done at local levels." The agreement ICANN signed today with Mr. Hesham Al-Alaily, Executive President of Egypt's National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (NTRA), specifically calls for the establishment of a regional DNS Entrepreneurship Center (DNS-EC) in Cairo, to serve communities in Africa and the Middle East. The Center aims to contribute to the evolution of the domain name sector in Africa and the Middle East by developing and providing expertise in DNS technical, policy and entrepreneurial areas, as well as providing resources to support the implementation of initiatives and projects in this field. The project will be implemented in three phases – Foundation (1 July 2014-30 June 2015), Launch (1 July 2015-30 June 2017) and Operation (Ongoing). The aim is for the DNS-EC to become an independent entity serving Africa and the Middle East by the end of Phase I – 30 June 2015. "I am pleased to kick-start, today, this partnership between NTRA and ICANN, for the establishment of a DNS Entrepreneurship Center in Egypt. The foundation of the DNS Entrepreneurship Center presents an important milestone, materializing the plans set out by the Middle East Strategy for ICANN. This also comes in line with Egypt's strategy to become a main Internet Hub for the region, capitalizing on its geographic location and potential calibers," said Hesham Al-Alaily. "I believe that the partnership established today confirms a joint commitment to the region and its emerging domain name markets. It aims at growing the local and regional markets by developing local expertise in domain name-related areas: technical, policy, and entrepreneurial. Anchored in Egypt, I am confident that this Center will play a key role in the Middle East and African regions and will serve as a catalyst for developing the DNS industry and the Internet ecosystem at large." As for the agreement with Qatar, signed by H.E Dr. Hessa Al Jaber, Minister of Information and Communications Technology, it focuses on all involved parties agreeing to cooperate with the overall aim of supporting the development of the domain name industry and Internationalized Domain Names (such as those in Arabic script) in the region, as well as to promote the multistakeholder model of Internet Governance. It also calls for the collaboration in joint projects and activities in areas related to ICANN's mission and mandate. "We are pleased to have a strategic partnership with ICANN to enhance our national efforts in positioning Qatar as a prominent player in the global digital economy. Qatar will also support ICANN's multi-stakeholder model and globalization efforts to ensure that the Internet remains open and accessible for everyone." Stated Dr. Hessa Al Jaber, Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Qatar. # # # Media Contacts Luna Madi EMEA, Communications Director London, UK Tel: +44 7780 947574 Email: luna.madi(a)icann.org<mailto:luna.madi@icann.org> About ICANN ICANN's mission is to ensure a stable, secure and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet you have to type an address into your computer - a name or a number. That address has to be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN coordinates these unique identifiers across the world. Without that coordination we wouldn't have one global Internet. ICANN was formed in 1998. It is a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation with participants from all over the world dedicated to keeping the Internet secure, stable and interoperable. It promotes competition and develops policy on the Internet's unique identifiers. ICANN doesn't control content on the Internet. It cannot stop spam and it doesn't deal with access to the Internet. But through its coordination role of the Internet's naming system, it does have an important impact on the expansion and evolution of the Internet. For more information please visit: www.icann.org<https://www.icann.org/>.

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