Fwd: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025
FYI -------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> */Apologies for cross-posting/* Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community, During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter. In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities. Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held _no later than 30 September 2025._ In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here: a)use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and b)have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period. c)In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com: i.shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC; ii.prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC; iii.may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC. Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025 Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net <mailto:nomcomselection@afrinic.net> The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest. Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, /_neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted_/ for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are. Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability. Gowtamsingh DABEE /Receiver/
Do they have an observer role? Judith Hellerstein via At-Large <at-large@icann.org> writes:
Hi Olivier, Many thanks for this interesting email
Best Judith Sent from my iPad judith@jhellerstein.com Mobile: +1202333517
On Jul 15, 2025, at 9:49 AM, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large <at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
Apologies for cross-posting
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held no later than 30 September 2025.
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
Receiver
<Attached Message Part.txt> _______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Christian de Larrinaga
Bonjour / HI Olivier many thanks to share this info with us. Hope the process will be successful with zero COI Conflict of Interest and one goals, make AFRINIC functional for the Internet Industry and the happiness of our Internet governance ecosystem. The best for all of us -- Betty FAUSTA +590690497309 [ https://docmail.apps-ipeos.com/ ] De: "Judith Hellerstein via At-Large" <at-large@icann.org> À: "Olivier MJ Crépin Leblond" <ocl@gih.com> Cc: "At-Large Worldwide" <at-large@atlarge-lists.icann.org> Envoyé: Mardi 15 Juillet 2025 10:08:02 Objet: [At-Large] Re: Fwd: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Hi Olivier, Many thanks for this interesting email Best Judith Sent from my iPad judith@jhellerstein.com Mobile: +1202333517 On Jul 15, 2025, at 9:49 AM, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large <at-large@icann.org> wrote: BQ_BEGIN FYI -------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss [ mailto:afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net | <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> ] Reply-To: [ mailto:comms@afrinic.net | comms@afrinic.net ] [ mailto:comms@afrinic.net | <comms@afrinic.net> ] , IPv6 in Africa Discussions [ mailto:afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net | <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> ] To: IPv6 in Africa [ mailto:afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net | <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> ] Apologies for cross-posting Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community, During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter. In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities. Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held no later than 30 September 2025. In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here: a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period. c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com: i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC; ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC; iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC. Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025 Please send your proposals to the following email address: [ mailto:nomcomselection@afrinic.net | nomcomselection@afrinic.net ] The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest. Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are. Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability. Gowtamsingh DABEE Receiver <Attached Message Part.txt> _______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on. BQ_END _______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
Dear Olivier, Thank you for keeping us informed about critical issues that are often overlooked. The situation is concerning, but it’s good to see steps being taken toward greater transparency. I really appreciate your continued efforts to keep these issues on our collective radar. Cheers, Pari On Tue, Jul 15, 2025 at 2:49 PM Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net> <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
*Apologies for cross-posting*
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held *no later than 30 September 2025.*
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, *neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted* for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
*Receiver*
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
Thank you Olivier for sharing this important information. Kind regards Hadia Elminiawi On Tue, 15 Jul 2025 at 16:49, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net> <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
*Apologies for cross-posting*
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held *no later than 30 September 2025.*
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, *neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted* for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
*Receiver*
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
Dear Oliver and all, I wanted to share my latest article, just published on CircleID: “AFRINIC’s Election Crisis Exposes Why RIR Oversight Must Evolve <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversight-must-evolve>.” As ICANN reviews its RIR governance framework, recent events at AFRINIC underscore why this effort cannot remain a purely technical exercise. From historical misalignments to geopolitical tensions, the risks we face are no longer hypothetical—and the consequences are global. Your thoughts and feedback are welcome. Cheers, Pari Esfandiari On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 8:13 AM hadia Elminiawi via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you Olivier for sharing this important information.
Kind regards Hadia Elminiawi
On Tue, 15 Jul 2025 at 16:49, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net> <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
*Apologies for cross-posting*
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held *no later than 30 September 2025.*
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, *neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted* for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
*Receiver*
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
Hi Pari If you recall the Afrinic situation with the huge purchase of a bloc of IpV4 address from Africa by a Chinese investor which evolved into a legal case. A precursor of its other governance issues G Glenn McKnight, MA Virtual School of Internet Governance Chief Information Officer www.virtualsig.org *YOUR SOURCE FOR INTERNET GOVERNANCE EDUCATION * *Mobile 437-237-4655* On Fri, 18 Jul 2025 at 07:52, Pari Esfandiari via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Dear Oliver and all,
I wanted to share my latest article, just published on CircleID: “AFRINIC’s Election Crisis Exposes Why RIR Oversight Must Evolve <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversight-must-evolve>.” As ICANN reviews its RIR governance framework, recent events at AFRINIC underscore why this effort cannot remain a purely technical exercise. From historical misalignments to geopolitical tensions, the risks we face are no longer hypothetical—and the consequences are global.
Your thoughts and feedback are welcome.
Cheers, Pari Esfandiari
On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 8:13 AM hadia Elminiawi via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you Olivier for sharing this important information.
Kind regards Hadia Elminiawi
On Tue, 15 Jul 2025 at 16:49, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net> <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
*Apologies for cross-posting*
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held *no later than 30 September 2025.*
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, *neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted* for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
*Receiver*
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell) _______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
My last phone conversation with Jon Postel was on the subject or the regional IP address registries (at that time more of an idea than a well formed structure of governance and allocation.) We both recognized that Internet routing protocols (and routers) were starting to be burdened by the weight of many individual address prefixes. CIDR was the answer. But that raised the issue of how to driving address location in a way that created good CIDR aggregation in conformity with the physical distribution of ASNs and the actual physical long-haul routing of the net. At that time, there were a few major clumps of routing; those made sense as the major places to establish IP address registries. These were North America, Asia (and Pacific), Europe. Latin America and, especially, Africa were, at that time, largely routing/connectivity bumps on the side of North America. (We saw this with particular force on Sept 11, 2001 when the shutdown of routing-points in New York City caused significant parts of Africa to fall off of the Internet.) Jon and I recognized that the routing structure of the net would evolve and change, and that, correspondingly, the address registry system should be able to evolve and change to best address efficient CIDR aggregation. We explicitly recognized that this could mean the establishment of new RIRs and the splitting and coalescing of existing RIRs. (It also meant that perhaps that address block recapture and re-allocation to promote better aggregation would be appropriate, but we did not go far discussing how that could be done without causing large disruptions.) All of this is to say that the creation of, and continued existence, of Afrinic is perhaps less mandated less by technical concerns and more by political recognition of national and regional pride. In the intervening decades Africa has obtained vastly more diverse connectivity; Africa no longer dangles (internet-wise) off of New York. But we should recognize that the concerns that Jon and I had about regional registries remains as valid today as it did in the late 1990's. Nor do those concerns about good address block aggregation diminish with the use of IPv6 rather than IPv4. Things like Starlink and its future competitors will greatly change how the pieces of the Internet connect with one another; that ought to trigger a re-evaluation of the existing RIR operators and their respective bailiwicks. --karl-- On 7/18/25 4:51 AM, Pari Esfandiari via At-Large wrote:
Dear Oliver and all,
I wanted to share my latest article, just published on CircleID: “AFRINIC’s Election Crisis Exposes Why RIR Oversight Must Evolve <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversight-must-evolve>.” As ICANN reviews its RIR governance framework, recent events at AFRINIC underscore why this effort cannot remain a purely technical exercise. From historical misalignments to geopolitical tensions, the risks we face are no longer hypothetical—and the consequences are global.
Your thoughts and feedback are welcome.
Cheers, Pari Esfandiari
On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 8:13 AM hadia Elminiawi via At-Large <at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you Olivier for sharing this important information.
Kind regards Hadia Elminiawi
On Tue, 15 Jul 2025 at 16:49, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large <at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <mailto:afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net> <mailto:comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <mailto:afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <mailto:afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
*/Apologies for cross-posting/*
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held _no later than 30 September 2025._
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a)use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b)have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c)In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i.shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii.prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii.may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, /_neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted_/ for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
/Receiver/
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Pari Esfandiari President /*Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> */ */Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas/* info@TechnoPolitics.org <mailto:info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202_-735-1415_ (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list --at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email toat-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site:http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
Here we are Karl, with evidence that should trigger re-evaluation of the region-based allocation model vested in the RIRs; the direct-to-user global connectivity the LEO constellations now offer. Here at my edge of empire, the conceptualisation for what we label underserved and unserved areas of the national jurisdiction has already changed. These LEO constellations are true to form now global ISPs. So how we assign, manage and route IP resources, especially in cross-border situations, merits re-evaluation. Resource registration practices must evolve. In fact, for equity and all the emerging 'sovereignty' issues unearthed in the AFRINIC case, there may now be a need to consider a supra-regional registry layer. Carlton ============================== *Carlton A Samuels* *Mobile: 876-818-1799Strategy, Process, Governance, Assessment & Turnaround* ============================= On Fri, 18 Jul 2025 at 17:03, Karl Auerbach via At-Large <at-large@icann.org> wrote:
My last phone conversation with Jon Postel was on the subject or the regional IP address registries (at that time more of an idea than a well formed structure of governance and allocation.)
We both recognized that Internet routing protocols (and routers) were starting to be burdened by the weight of many individual address prefixes. CIDR was the answer. But that raised the issue of how to driving address location in a way that created good CIDR aggregation in conformity with the physical distribution of ASNs and the actual physical long-haul routing of the net.
At that time, there were a few major clumps of routing; those made sense as the major places to establish IP address registries. These were North America, Asia (and Pacific), Europe. Latin America and, especially, Africa were, at that time, largely routing/connectivity bumps on the side of North America. (We saw this with particular force on Sept 11, 2001 when the shutdown of routing-points in New York City caused significant parts of Africa to fall off of the Internet.)
Jon and I recognized that the routing structure of the net would evolve and change, and that, correspondingly, the address registry system should be able to evolve and change to best address efficient CIDR aggregation.
We explicitly recognized that this could mean the establishment of new RIRs and the splitting and coalescing of existing RIRs.
(It also meant that perhaps that address block recapture and re-allocation to promote better aggregation would be appropriate, but we did not go far discussing how that could be done without causing large disruptions.)
All of this is to say that the creation of, and continued existence, of Afrinic is perhaps less mandated less by technical concerns and more by political recognition of national and regional pride.
In the intervening decades Africa has obtained vastly more diverse connectivity; Africa no longer dangles (internet-wise) off of New York.
But we should recognize that the concerns that Jon and I had about regional registries remains as valid today as it did in the late 1990's. Nor do those concerns about good address block aggregation diminish with the use of IPv6 rather than IPv4.
Things like Starlink and its future competitors will greatly change how the pieces of the Internet connect with one another; that ought to trigger a re-evaluation of the existing RIR operators and their respective bailiwicks.
--karl-- On 7/18/25 4:51 AM, Pari Esfandiari via At-Large wrote:
Dear Oliver and all,
I wanted to share my latest article, just published on CircleID: “AFRINIC’s Election Crisis Exposes Why RIR Oversight Must Evolve <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversight-must-evolve>.” As ICANN reviews its RIR governance framework, recent events at AFRINIC underscore why this effort cannot remain a purely technical exercise. From historical misalignments to geopolitical tensions, the risks we face are no longer hypothetical—and the consequences are global.
Your thoughts and feedback are welcome.
Cheers, Pari Esfandiari
On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 8:13 AM hadia Elminiawi via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you Olivier for sharing this important information.
Kind regards Hadia Elminiawi
On Tue, 15 Jul 2025 at 16:49, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net> <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
*Apologies for cross-posting*
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held *no later than 30 September 2025.*
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, *neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted* for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
*Receiver*
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
I am glad that you mentioned "emerging 'sovereignty' issues". To my mind there is a significant policy balancing question that we will need to face and resolve, which is: How should technical efficiency be balanced against non-technical considerations? What are the criteria (and weights) we should use to measure the equities on either side of the balance? That's not easy, but I think we need to return to asking those questions even if that means discomfort for some of the governance institutions that are already in existence. --karl-- On 7/18/25 3:31 PM, Carlton Samuels wrote:
Here we are Karl, with evidence that should trigger re-evaluation of the region-based allocation model vested in the RIRs; the direct-to-user global connectivity the LEO constellations now offer.
Here at my edge of empire, the conceptualisation for what we label underserved and unserved areas of the national jurisdiction has already changed.
These LEO constellations are true to form now global ISPs. So how we assign, manage and route IP resources, especially in cross-border situations, merits re-evaluation.
Resource registration practices must evolve. In fact, for equity and all the emerging 'sovereignty' issues unearthed in the AFRINIC case, there may now be a need to consider a supra-regional registry layer.
Carlton
============================== /Carlton A Samuels/ /Mobile: 876-818-1799 Strategy, Process, Governance, Assessment & Turnaround/ =============================
On Fri, 18 Jul 2025 at 17:03, Karl Auerbach via At-Large <at-large@icann.org> wrote:
My last phone conversation with Jon Postel was on the subject or the regional IP address registries (at that time more of an idea than a well formed structure of governance and allocation.)
We both recognized that Internet routing protocols (and routers) were starting to be burdened by the weight of many individual address prefixes. CIDR was the answer. But that raised the issue of how to driving address location in a way that created good CIDR aggregation in conformity with the physical distribution of ASNs and the actual physical long-haul routing of the net.
At that time, there were a few major clumps of routing; those made sense as the major places to establish IP address registries. These were North America, Asia (and Pacific), Europe. Latin America and, especially, Africa were, at that time, largely routing/connectivity bumps on the side of North America. (We saw this with particular force on Sept 11, 2001 when the shutdown of routing-points in New York City caused significant parts of Africa to fall off of the Internet.)
Jon and I recognized that the routing structure of the net would evolve and change, and that, correspondingly, the address registry system should be able to evolve and change to best address efficient CIDR aggregation.
We explicitly recognized that this could mean the establishment of new RIRs and the splitting and coalescing of existing RIRs.
(It also meant that perhaps that address block recapture and re-allocation to promote better aggregation would be appropriate, but we did not go far discussing how that could be done without causing large disruptions.)
All of this is to say that the creation of, and continued existence, of Afrinic is perhaps less mandated less by technical concerns and more by political recognition of national and regional pride.
In the intervening decades Africa has obtained vastly more diverse connectivity; Africa no longer dangles (internet-wise) off of New York.
But we should recognize that the concerns that Jon and I had about regional registries remains as valid today as it did in the late 1990's. Nor do those concerns about good address block aggregation diminish with the use of IPv6 rather than IPv4.
Things like Starlink and its future competitors will greatly change how the pieces of the Internet connect with one another; that ought to trigger a re-evaluation of the existing RIR operators and their respective bailiwicks.
--karl--
On 7/18/25 4:51 AM, Pari Esfandiari via At-Large wrote:
Dear Oliver and all,
I wanted to share my latest article, just published on CircleID: “AFRINIC’s Election Crisis Exposes Why RIR Oversight Must Evolve <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversight-must-evolve>.” As ICANN reviews its RIR governance framework, recent events at AFRINIC underscore why this effort cannot remain a purely technical exercise. From historical misalignments to geopolitical tensions, the risks we face are no longer hypothetical—and the consequences are global.
Your thoughts and feedback are welcome.
Cheers, Pari Esfandiari
On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 8:13 AM hadia Elminiawi via At-Large <at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you Olivier for sharing this important information.
Kind regards Hadia Elminiawi
On Tue, 15 Jul 2025 at 16:49, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large <at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <mailto:afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net> <mailto:comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <mailto:afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <mailto:afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
*/Apologies for cross-posting/*
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held _no later than 30 September 2025._
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a)use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b)have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c)In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i.shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii.prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii.may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, /_neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted_/ for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
/Receiver/
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Pari Esfandiari President /*Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> */ */Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas/* info@TechnoPolitics.org <mailto:info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202_-735-1415_ (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list --at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email toat-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site:http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
I hear you Sir Carlton, There are still many good reason to continue to have regional internet registries coordinate IP resource distribution and one may argue that geo location (if was actually well implemented) has its own benefits or otherwise depending on what side one is on. Delivering local content being one of those possible benefits. There are provisions for Inter-RIR transfers and some of the RIRs already have this active (I think there is reciprocity requirement in 1 or 2 not sure if it's removed). AFRINIC does have Intra-RIR transfer but still discussing various versions of Intra-RIR transfer policies. The supra regional registry can be said to be IANA in coordination with NRO so structural changes may not really be the issue. Policies from various RIRs are proposed by the community and they are largely purpose built which is essentially on "needs basis", hence non legacy spaces are allocated to resource members to serve a purpose which is why the allocated resource isn't "owned" by the assignee. However, the implementation and enforcement of these policies has largely been based on trust backed by the Registration Service Agreement (RSA) that both sides (the org and the member) would comply when applicable. The question then is should resource allocation by RIR be done without the applicant having justification(needs basis), if yes then what would be the essence of the "regional" in the internet registry as it concerns resource allocation. If "needs basis" is still a thing for the RIR, then policy implementation but more importantly, enforcement capacity thereof remains what I believe require more improvement through coordinated effort especially as IPv4 seem not to be going away as fast as we may have imagined, instead it is becoming a goldmine. Regards ---- Sent from my mobile kindly excuse typos On Fri, 18 Jul 2025, 5:33 pm Carlton Samuels via At-Large, < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Here we are Karl, with evidence that should trigger re-evaluation of the region-based allocation model vested in the RIRs; the direct-to-user global connectivity the LEO constellations now offer.
Here at my edge of empire, the conceptualisation for what we label underserved and unserved areas of the national jurisdiction has already changed.
These LEO constellations are true to form now global ISPs. So how we assign, manage and route IP resources, especially in cross-border situations, merits re-evaluation.
Resource registration practices must evolve. In fact, for equity and all the emerging 'sovereignty' issues unearthed in the AFRINIC case, there may now be a need to consider a supra-regional registry layer.
Carlton
============================== *Carlton A Samuels*
*Mobile: 876-818-1799Strategy, Process, Governance, Assessment & Turnaround* =============================
On Fri, 18 Jul 2025 at 17:03, Karl Auerbach via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
My last phone conversation with Jon Postel was on the subject or the regional IP address registries (at that time more of an idea than a well formed structure of governance and allocation.)
We both recognized that Internet routing protocols (and routers) were starting to be burdened by the weight of many individual address prefixes. CIDR was the answer. But that raised the issue of how to driving address location in a way that created good CIDR aggregation in conformity with the physical distribution of ASNs and the actual physical long-haul routing of the net.
At that time, there were a few major clumps of routing; those made sense as the major places to establish IP address registries. These were North America, Asia (and Pacific), Europe. Latin America and, especially, Africa were, at that time, largely routing/connectivity bumps on the side of North America. (We saw this with particular force on Sept 11, 2001 when the shutdown of routing-points in New York City caused significant parts of Africa to fall off of the Internet.)
Jon and I recognized that the routing structure of the net would evolve and change, and that, correspondingly, the address registry system should be able to evolve and change to best address efficient CIDR aggregation.
We explicitly recognized that this could mean the establishment of new RIRs and the splitting and coalescing of existing RIRs.
(It also meant that perhaps that address block recapture and re-allocation to promote better aggregation would be appropriate, but we did not go far discussing how that could be done without causing large disruptions.)
All of this is to say that the creation of, and continued existence, of Afrinic is perhaps less mandated less by technical concerns and more by political recognition of national and regional pride.
In the intervening decades Africa has obtained vastly more diverse connectivity; Africa no longer dangles (internet-wise) off of New York.
But we should recognize that the concerns that Jon and I had about regional registries remains as valid today as it did in the late 1990's. Nor do those concerns about good address block aggregation diminish with the use of IPv6 rather than IPv4.
Things like Starlink and its future competitors will greatly change how the pieces of the Internet connect with one another; that ought to trigger a re-evaluation of the existing RIR operators and their respective bailiwicks.
--karl-- On 7/18/25 4:51 AM, Pari Esfandiari via At-Large wrote:
Dear Oliver and all,
I wanted to share my latest article, just published on CircleID: “AFRINIC’s Election Crisis Exposes Why RIR Oversight Must Evolve <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversight-must-evolve>.” As ICANN reviews its RIR governance framework, recent events at AFRINIC underscore why this effort cannot remain a purely technical exercise. From historical misalignments to geopolitical tensions, the risks we face are no longer hypothetical—and the consequences are global.
Your thoughts and feedback are welcome.
Cheers, Pari Esfandiari
On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 8:13 AM hadia Elminiawi via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you Olivier for sharing this important information.
Kind regards Hadia Elminiawi
On Tue, 15 Jul 2025 at 16:49, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net> <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
*Apologies for cross-posting*
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held *no later than 30 September 2025.*
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, *neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted* for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
*Receiver*
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
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_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
Interesting piece of History Karl. The current challenge will certainly cause us to review and reflect on the strengths and weaknesses in so far as governance of the Internet Ecosystem and the Multistakeholder model are concerned. There is clearly need for continued research on the non technical front if i may attempt to borrow Seuns comments (" Things like Starlink and its future competitors will greatly change how the pieces of the Internet connect with one another; that ought to trigger a re-evaluation of the existing RIR operators and their respective bailiwicks. ") Best Regards On Sat, Jul 19, 2025 at 1:03 AM Karl Auerbach via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
My last phone conversation with Jon Postel was on the subject or the regional IP address registries (at that time more of an idea than a well formed structure of governance and allocation.)
We both recognized that Internet routing protocols (and routers) were starting to be burdened by the weight of many individual address prefixes. CIDR was the answer. But that raised the issue of how to driving address location in a way that created good CIDR aggregation in conformity with the physical distribution of ASNs and the actual physical long-haul routing of the net.
At that time, there were a few major clumps of routing; those made sense as the major places to establish IP address registries. These were North America, Asia (and Pacific), Europe. Latin America and, especially, Africa were, at that time, largely routing/connectivity bumps on the side of North America. (We saw this with particular force on Sept 11, 2001 when the shutdown of routing-points in New York City caused significant parts of Africa to fall off of the Internet.)
Jon and I recognized that the routing structure of the net would evolve and change, and that, correspondingly, the address registry system should be able to evolve and change to best address efficient CIDR aggregation.
We explicitly recognized that this could mean the establishment of new RIRs and the splitting and coalescing of existing RIRs.
(It also meant that perhaps that address block recapture and re-allocation to promote better aggregation would be appropriate, but we did not go far discussing how that could be done without causing large disruptions.)
All of this is to say that the creation of, and continued existence, of Afrinic is perhaps less mandated less by technical concerns and more by political recognition of national and regional pride.
In the intervening decades Africa has obtained vastly more diverse connectivity; Africa no longer dangles (internet-wise) off of New York.
But we should recognize that the concerns that Jon and I had about regional registries remains as valid today as it did in the late 1990's. Nor do those concerns about good address block aggregation diminish with the use of IPv6 rather than IPv4.
Things like Starlink and its future competitors will greatly change how the pieces of the Internet connect with one another; that ought to trigger a re-evaluation of the existing RIR operators and their respective bailiwicks.
--karl-- On 7/18/25 4:51 AM, Pari Esfandiari via At-Large wrote:
Dear Oliver and all,
I wanted to share my latest article, just published on CircleID: “AFRINIC’s Election Crisis Exposes Why RIR Oversight Must Evolve <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversight-must-evolve>.” As ICANN reviews its RIR governance framework, recent events at AFRINIC underscore why this effort cannot remain a purely technical exercise. From historical misalignments to geopolitical tensions, the risks we face are no longer hypothetical—and the consequences are global.
Your thoughts and feedback are welcome.
Cheers, Pari Esfandiari
On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 8:13 AM hadia Elminiawi via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you Olivier for sharing this important information.
Kind regards Hadia Elminiawi
On Tue, 15 Jul 2025 at 16:49, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net> <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
*Apologies for cross-posting*
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held *no later than 30 September 2025.*
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, *neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted* for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
*Receiver*
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254733206359 Skype: barrack.otieno PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
Dear all, Thank you for the thoughtful and engaging responses to my recent article on CircleID <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversig...>. I really appreciate how the conversation has expanded into broader questions about the future of Internet governance, and I’m encouraged by the range of perspectives being shared. Karl, your recollections of those early conversations with Jon Postel are incredibly valuable—not just as historical insight but as a reminder of the flexibility and foresight built into the original model. The idea that regional registries were meant to evolve alongside network architecture seems more relevant than ever. And yet, how that evolution should happen—technically, institutionally, and politically—remains a key point for discussion. Carlton’s proposal for a “supra-regional registry layer” raises fascinating questions. With the rise of global satellite constellations and other technologies blurring the relevance of geographic boundaries, is it time to reimagine the RIR model entirely? Or can reforms within the existing framework suffice? I don’t have a definitive answer, but it’s a conversation worth having. Seun’s comments bring us back to the foundational logic of needs-based allocation and the trust that has historically underpinned the system. But as resource scarcity meets commercial and political pressures, I wonder whether that trust-based approach is still tenable. If we agree that enforcement capacity is lacking, how do we strengthen it without compromising the openness of the system? Barrack’s point about the need for continued research—especially into the non-technical and geopolitical dimensions of governance—is one I strongly agree with. But here too, there’s room for debate: should ICANN and the RIRs remain narrowly focused on technical coordination, or is it time for them to engage more directly with questions of power, equity, and legitimacy? Glenn’s reference to the IPv4 block controversy involving Lu Heng is a good reminder that this is not a new conversation. I hope this exchange continues to surface the tensions, trade-offs, and possibilities that any serious review of the RIR system must confront. If nothing else, AFRINIC’s current crisis has opened up space for these kinds of critical reflections—something we should all welcome, even when we disagree. Thank you again to everyone who has contributed. I look forward to learning more from this evolving discussion. Cheers, Pari Esfandiari On Sat, Jul 19, 2025 at 6:44 AM Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack@gmail.com> wrote:
Interesting piece of History Karl. The current challenge will certainly cause us to review and reflect on the strengths and weaknesses in so far as governance of the Internet Ecosystem and the Multistakeholder model are concerned. There is clearly need for continued research on the non technical front if i may attempt to borrow Seuns comments (" Things like Starlink and its future competitors will greatly change how the pieces of the Internet connect with one another; that ought to trigger a re-evaluation of the existing RIR operators and their respective bailiwicks. ")
Best Regards
On Sat, Jul 19, 2025 at 1:03 AM Karl Auerbach via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
My last phone conversation with Jon Postel was on the subject or the regional IP address registries (at that time more of an idea than a well formed structure of governance and allocation.)
We both recognized that Internet routing protocols (and routers) were starting to be burdened by the weight of many individual address prefixes. CIDR was the answer. But that raised the issue of how to driving address location in a way that created good CIDR aggregation in conformity with the physical distribution of ASNs and the actual physical long-haul routing of the net.
At that time, there were a few major clumps of routing; those made sense as the major places to establish IP address registries. These were North America, Asia (and Pacific), Europe. Latin America and, especially, Africa were, at that time, largely routing/connectivity bumps on the side of North America. (We saw this with particular force on Sept 11, 2001 when the shutdown of routing-points in New York City caused significant parts of Africa to fall off of the Internet.)
Jon and I recognized that the routing structure of the net would evolve and change, and that, correspondingly, the address registry system should be able to evolve and change to best address efficient CIDR aggregation.
We explicitly recognized that this could mean the establishment of new RIRs and the splitting and coalescing of existing RIRs.
(It also meant that perhaps that address block recapture and re-allocation to promote better aggregation would be appropriate, but we did not go far discussing how that could be done without causing large disruptions.)
All of this is to say that the creation of, and continued existence, of Afrinic is perhaps less mandated less by technical concerns and more by political recognition of national and regional pride.
In the intervening decades Africa has obtained vastly more diverse connectivity; Africa no longer dangles (internet-wise) off of New York.
But we should recognize that the concerns that Jon and I had about regional registries remains as valid today as it did in the late 1990's. Nor do those concerns about good address block aggregation diminish with the use of IPv6 rather than IPv4.
Things like Starlink and its future competitors will greatly change how the pieces of the Internet connect with one another; that ought to trigger a re-evaluation of the existing RIR operators and their respective bailiwicks.
--karl-- On 7/18/25 4:51 AM, Pari Esfandiari via At-Large wrote:
Dear Oliver and all,
I wanted to share my latest article, just published on CircleID: “AFRINIC’s Election Crisis Exposes Why RIR Oversight Must Evolve <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversight-must-evolve>.” As ICANN reviews its RIR governance framework, recent events at AFRINIC underscore why this effort cannot remain a purely technical exercise. From historical misalignments to geopolitical tensions, the risks we face are no longer hypothetical—and the consequences are global.
Your thoughts and feedback are welcome.
Cheers, Pari Esfandiari
On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 8:13 AM hadia Elminiawi via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you Olivier for sharing this important information.
Kind regards Hadia Elminiawi
On Tue, 15 Jul 2025 at 16:49, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net> <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
*Apologies for cross-posting*
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held *no later than 30 September 2025.*
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, *neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted* for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
*Receiver*
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254733206359 Skype: barrack.otieno PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
Many thanks Pari, it is also worth noting that Trust and intimacy are at twines intertwined. Meeting small groups circles or meetings of mind. As the scale of Internet connectivity expands and broadens the very fabric of Trust becomes stretched and will require very sophisticated and expensive governance models which provide reassurance mechanisms. Regards On Sat, Jul 19, 2025 at 1:21 PM Pari Esfandiari <pariesfandiari@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear all,
Thank you for the thoughtful and engaging responses to my recent article on CircleID <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversig...>. I really appreciate how the conversation has expanded into broader questions about the future of Internet governance, and I’m encouraged by the range of perspectives being shared.
Karl, your recollections of those early conversations with Jon Postel are incredibly valuable—not just as historical insight but as a reminder of the flexibility and foresight built into the original model. The idea that regional registries were meant to evolve alongside network architecture seems more relevant than ever. And yet, how that evolution should happen—technically, institutionally, and politically—remains a key point for discussion.
Carlton’s proposal for a “supra-regional registry layer” raises fascinating questions. With the rise of global satellite constellations and other technologies blurring the relevance of geographic boundaries, is it time to reimagine the RIR model entirely? Or can reforms within the existing framework suffice? I don’t have a definitive answer, but it’s a conversation worth having.
Seun’s comments bring us back to the foundational logic of needs-based allocation and the trust that has historically underpinned the system. But as resource scarcity meets commercial and political pressures, I wonder whether that trust-based approach is still tenable. If we agree that enforcement capacity is lacking, how do we strengthen it without compromising the openness of the system?
Barrack’s point about the need for continued research—especially into the non-technical and geopolitical dimensions of governance—is one I strongly agree with. But here too, there’s room for debate: should ICANN and the RIRs remain narrowly focused on technical coordination, or is it time for them to engage more directly with questions of power, equity, and legitimacy?
Glenn’s reference to the IPv4 block controversy involving Lu Heng is a good reminder that this is not a new conversation.
I hope this exchange continues to surface the tensions, trade-offs, and possibilities that any serious review of the RIR system must confront. If nothing else, AFRINIC’s current crisis has opened up space for these kinds of critical reflections—something we should all welcome, even when we disagree.
Thank you again to everyone who has contributed. I look forward to learning more from this evolving discussion.
Cheers, Pari Esfandiari
On Sat, Jul 19, 2025 at 6:44 AM Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack@gmail.com> wrote:
Interesting piece of History Karl. The current challenge will certainly cause us to review and reflect on the strengths and weaknesses in so far as governance of the Internet Ecosystem and the Multistakeholder model are concerned. There is clearly need for continued research on the non technical front if i may attempt to borrow Seuns comments (" Things like Starlink and its future competitors will greatly change how the pieces of the Internet connect with one another; that ought to trigger a re-evaluation of the existing RIR operators and their respective bailiwicks. ")
Best Regards
On Sat, Jul 19, 2025 at 1:03 AM Karl Auerbach via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
My last phone conversation with Jon Postel was on the subject or the regional IP address registries (at that time more of an idea than a well formed structure of governance and allocation.)
We both recognized that Internet routing protocols (and routers) were starting to be burdened by the weight of many individual address prefixes. CIDR was the answer. But that raised the issue of how to driving address location in a way that created good CIDR aggregation in conformity with the physical distribution of ASNs and the actual physical long-haul routing of the net.
At that time, there were a few major clumps of routing; those made sense as the major places to establish IP address registries. These were North America, Asia (and Pacific), Europe. Latin America and, especially, Africa were, at that time, largely routing/connectivity bumps on the side of North America. (We saw this with particular force on Sept 11, 2001 when the shutdown of routing-points in New York City caused significant parts of Africa to fall off of the Internet.)
Jon and I recognized that the routing structure of the net would evolve and change, and that, correspondingly, the address registry system should be able to evolve and change to best address efficient CIDR aggregation.
We explicitly recognized that this could mean the establishment of new RIRs and the splitting and coalescing of existing RIRs.
(It also meant that perhaps that address block recapture and re-allocation to promote better aggregation would be appropriate, but we did not go far discussing how that could be done without causing large disruptions.)
All of this is to say that the creation of, and continued existence, of Afrinic is perhaps less mandated less by technical concerns and more by political recognition of national and regional pride.
In the intervening decades Africa has obtained vastly more diverse connectivity; Africa no longer dangles (internet-wise) off of New York.
But we should recognize that the concerns that Jon and I had about regional registries remains as valid today as it did in the late 1990's. Nor do those concerns about good address block aggregation diminish with the use of IPv6 rather than IPv4.
Things like Starlink and its future competitors will greatly change how the pieces of the Internet connect with one another; that ought to trigger a re-evaluation of the existing RIR operators and their respective bailiwicks.
--karl-- On 7/18/25 4:51 AM, Pari Esfandiari via At-Large wrote:
Dear Oliver and all,
I wanted to share my latest article, just published on CircleID: “AFRINIC’s Election Crisis Exposes Why RIR Oversight Must Evolve <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversight-must-evolve>.” As ICANN reviews its RIR governance framework, recent events at AFRINIC underscore why this effort cannot remain a purely technical exercise. From historical misalignments to geopolitical tensions, the risks we face are no longer hypothetical—and the consequences are global.
Your thoughts and feedback are welcome.
Cheers, Pari Esfandiari
On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 8:13 AM hadia Elminiawi via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you Olivier for sharing this important information.
Kind regards Hadia Elminiawi
On Tue, 15 Jul 2025 at 16:49, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net> <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
*Apologies for cross-posting*
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held *no later than 30 September 2025.*
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, *neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted* for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
*Receiver*
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy ( https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254733206359 Skype: barrack.otieno PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
-- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254733206359 Skype: barrack.otieno PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
Indeed an interesting discussion. Thank you Pari for that very enlightening summary of the voices who contributed from across our community, providing us all with a better understanding of the complexity of the AFRINIC issue. Regards Maureen On Sat, 19 Jul 2025, 12:21 am Pari Esfandiari via At-Large, < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Dear all,
Thank you for the thoughtful and engaging responses to my recent article on CircleID <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversig...>. I really appreciate how the conversation has expanded into broader questions about the future of Internet governance, and I’m encouraged by the range of perspectives being shared.
Karl, your recollections of those early conversations with Jon Postel are incredibly valuable—not just as historical insight but as a reminder of the flexibility and foresight built into the original model. The idea that regional registries were meant to evolve alongside network architecture seems more relevant than ever. And yet, how that evolution should happen—technically, institutionally, and politically—remains a key point for discussion.
Carlton’s proposal for a “supra-regional registry layer” raises fascinating questions. With the rise of global satellite constellations and other technologies blurring the relevance of geographic boundaries, is it time to reimagine the RIR model entirely? Or can reforms within the existing framework suffice? I don’t have a definitive answer, but it’s a conversation worth having.
Seun’s comments bring us back to the foundational logic of needs-based allocation and the trust that has historically underpinned the system. But as resource scarcity meets commercial and political pressures, I wonder whether that trust-based approach is still tenable. If we agree that enforcement capacity is lacking, how do we strengthen it without compromising the openness of the system?
Barrack’s point about the need for continued research—especially into the non-technical and geopolitical dimensions of governance—is one I strongly agree with. But here too, there’s room for debate: should ICANN and the RIRs remain narrowly focused on technical coordination, or is it time for them to engage more directly with questions of power, equity, and legitimacy?
Glenn’s reference to the IPv4 block controversy involving Lu Heng is a good reminder that this is not a new conversation.
I hope this exchange continues to surface the tensions, trade-offs, and possibilities that any serious review of the RIR system must confront. If nothing else, AFRINIC’s current crisis has opened up space for these kinds of critical reflections—something we should all welcome, even when we disagree.
Thank you again to everyone who has contributed. I look forward to learning more from this evolving discussion.
Cheers, Pari Esfandiari
On Sat, Jul 19, 2025 at 6:44 AM Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack@gmail.com> wrote:
Interesting piece of History Karl. The current challenge will certainly cause us to review and reflect on the strengths and weaknesses in so far as governance of the Internet Ecosystem and the Multistakeholder model are concerned. There is clearly need for continued research on the non technical front if i may attempt to borrow Seuns comments (" Things like Starlink and its future competitors will greatly change how the pieces of the Internet connect with one another; that ought to trigger a re-evaluation of the existing RIR operators and their respective bailiwicks. ")
Best Regards
On Sat, Jul 19, 2025 at 1:03 AM Karl Auerbach via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
My last phone conversation with Jon Postel was on the subject or the regional IP address registries (at that time more of an idea than a well formed structure of governance and allocation.)
We both recognized that Internet routing protocols (and routers) were starting to be burdened by the weight of many individual address prefixes. CIDR was the answer. But that raised the issue of how to driving address location in a way that created good CIDR aggregation in conformity with the physical distribution of ASNs and the actual physical long-haul routing of the net.
At that time, there were a few major clumps of routing; those made sense as the major places to establish IP address registries. These were North America, Asia (and Pacific), Europe. Latin America and, especially, Africa were, at that time, largely routing/connectivity bumps on the side of North America. (We saw this with particular force on Sept 11, 2001 when the shutdown of routing-points in New York City caused significant parts of Africa to fall off of the Internet.)
Jon and I recognized that the routing structure of the net would evolve and change, and that, correspondingly, the address registry system should be able to evolve and change to best address efficient CIDR aggregation.
We explicitly recognized that this could mean the establishment of new RIRs and the splitting and coalescing of existing RIRs.
(It also meant that perhaps that address block recapture and re-allocation to promote better aggregation would be appropriate, but we did not go far discussing how that could be done without causing large disruptions.)
All of this is to say that the creation of, and continued existence, of Afrinic is perhaps less mandated less by technical concerns and more by political recognition of national and regional pride.
In the intervening decades Africa has obtained vastly more diverse connectivity; Africa no longer dangles (internet-wise) off of New York.
But we should recognize that the concerns that Jon and I had about regional registries remains as valid today as it did in the late 1990's. Nor do those concerns about good address block aggregation diminish with the use of IPv6 rather than IPv4.
Things like Starlink and its future competitors will greatly change how the pieces of the Internet connect with one another; that ought to trigger a re-evaluation of the existing RIR operators and their respective bailiwicks.
--karl-- On 7/18/25 4:51 AM, Pari Esfandiari via At-Large wrote:
Dear Oliver and all,
I wanted to share my latest article, just published on CircleID: “AFRINIC’s Election Crisis Exposes Why RIR Oversight Must Evolve <https://circleid.com/posts/afrinicas-election-crisis-exposes-why-rir-oversight-must-evolve>.” As ICANN reviews its RIR governance framework, recent events at AFRINIC underscore why this effort cannot remain a purely technical exercise. From historical misalignments to geopolitical tensions, the risks we face are no longer hypothetical—and the consequences are global.
Your thoughts and feedback are welcome.
Cheers, Pari Esfandiari
On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 8:13 AM hadia Elminiawi via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you Olivier for sharing this important information.
Kind regards Hadia Elminiawi
On Tue, 15 Jul 2025 at 16:49, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large < at-large@icann.org> wrote:
FYI
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 From: comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> Reply-To: comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net> <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> To: IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net>
*Apologies for cross-posting*
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held *no later than 30 September 2025.*
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, *neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted* for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
*Receiver*
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy ( https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
-- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254733206359 Skype: barrack.otieno PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell) _______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org
At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
Thanks Pari for sharingHadia On Friday, July 18, 2025 at 02:52:39 PM GMT+3, Pari Esfandiari via At-Large <at-large@icann.org> wrote: Dear Oliver and all, I wanted to share my latest article, just published on CircleID: “AFRINIC’s Election Crisis Exposes Why RIR Oversight Must Evolve.” As ICANN reviews its RIR governance framework, recent events at AFRINIC underscore why this effort cannot remain a purely technical exercise. From historical misalignments to geopolitical tensions, the risks we face are no longer hypothetical—and the consequences are global. Your thoughts and feedback are welcome. Cheers, Pari Esfandiari On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 8:13 AM hadia Elminiawi via At-Large <at-large@icann.org> wrote: Thank you Olivier for sharing this important information. Kind regardsHadia Elminiawi On Tue, 15 Jul 2025 at 16:49, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via At-Large <at-large@icann.org> wrote: FYI -------- Forwarded Message -------- | Subject: | [AfrIPv6-Discuss] Organisation of New AFRINIC Board Elections by 30 September 2025 | | Date: | Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:44:36 +0000 | | From: | comms--- via AfrIPv6-Discuss <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> | | Reply-To: | comms@afrinic.net <comms@afrinic.net>, IPv6 in Africa Discussions <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> | | To: | IPv6 in Africa <afripv6-discuss@afrinic.net> | Apologies for cross-posting Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community, During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter. In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities. Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held no later than 30 September 2025. In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here: a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period. c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com: i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC; ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC; iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC. Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025 Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.net The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest. Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are. Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability. Gowtamsingh DABEE Receiver _______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on. _______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on. -- Pari EsfandiariPresidentGlobal TechnoPolitics Forum Pario - Architects of Ideasinfo@TechnoPolitics.org Linkedin ProfileTel: +1-202-735-1415 (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)_______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list -- at-large@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to at-large-leave@icann.org At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
participants (14)
-
Barrack Otieno -
Betty Fausta - IPEOS -
Carlton Samuels -
Christian de Larrinaga -
Glenn McKnight -
Hadia El Miniawi -
hadia Elminiawi -
Hank Nussbacher -
Judith Hellerstein -
Karl Auerbach -
Maureen Hilyard -
Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond -
Pari Esfandiari -
Seun Ojedeji