John R. Levine [2012-06-17 19:55]:
The three support applications are particularly disappointing in light of all three being from long-time ICANN participants.
A reasonable interpretation of the lack of African applicants is that people looked at the substantial cost and dubious benefits of a vanity TLD and everyone who wasn't already drunk on ICANN kool-aid came to a rational decision that their limited funds would better be spent elsewhere.
Plus, the 'substantial cost' is even more substantial in Africa than in the US because of the purchasing power differential. (Equally, domain names, which are cheap in the US, might not be that cheap in a country like India, even if it costs the same in both countries.) ~ Pranesh -- Pranesh Prakash · Programme Manager · Centre for Internet and Society @pranesh_prakash · PGP ID 0x1D5C5F07 · http://cis-india.org