Dear Fahd and All, Adding to my previous email – and to clarify that this is not a matter of personal perception, but rather factual events and actions. I’d like to address a few key points related to the transition to the new strategy process You mentioned in your email "One point we perhaps should have clarified in this very email is that the purpose of this slight change was to make the process of developing the regional plan more open and inclusive by using a mailing list that anyone can join at any time, rather than continuing with the previous approach of a closed working group." However, in practice, this new approach was neither open nor inclusive for the following reasons: 1. I expressed interest in joining the new group immediately after you shard the initial email announcing the process ( after learning from this same email that the previous MEAC SWG was dissolved and that you are embarking on a new process.) 2. I registered for the kickoff webinar scheduled 23 December 2024 - (this email was only shared with those who expressed interest in joining the strategy group) - I received a confirmation email with a zoom link. According to the agenda, this webinar was meant to include presentations to set the scene, but did not include any actual strategy group work. Unfortunately, I was on holiday at the time and could not attend. 3. Despite both expressing interest and registering, I was never added to the new mailing list, nor did I receive any information about its creation or how to join. 4. I also received no information about the first strategy working session 5. I only learned that the first working session had already taken place from a member who had received the call details. I then reached out to you, which ultimately led to my being added. So while your intention may have been to make the process more open and inclusive, the execution did not reflect that. Unlike the MEAC SWG, which was known to the community and always open to new participants, this new approach lacked transparency from the very beginning – only a few people seemed to know about the new mailing list, and no clear path was communicated, despite my early engagement in the process. Others, like Farzi, who may have simply missed the initial announcement, had no visibility into the rest of the process that followed. In my case, I did not miss the announcement nor the registration for the webinar, and yet I still was not informed about the working group calls nor the new mailing list. I share this not to place blame, but because details matter if we truly aim to foster meaningful and inclusive participation across the community Best wishes Hadia Elminiawi ________________________________ From: Hadia Abdelsalam Mokhtar EL miniawi Sent: 09 July 2025 23:58 To: fahd.batayneh Cc: Layal Jebran; ICANN Middle East Subject: Re: [External] Re: [ME ICANN] [Blog] Charting the Path Forward: ICANN Middle East Regional Plan FY26–30 Dear Fahd, Thank you for your reply, I have a lot to add to your response. However, the entire reason of my previous emails was to help ensure more transparent and inclusive processes in the future. Hence, I will only comment on the part “This email was never challenged as to the informal discussions ….” As a matter of fact I sent a WhatsApp message to Baher mentioning that as the Vice Chair of the MEAC SWG I was never approached nor consulted, and though I agree with the approach I wonder who are the community members you approached and he replied “ You are right, Hadia. This was an oversight.” The above is a copy and paste of his reply. Whether you said community leaders or community members does not really matter, I have obviously been both and as the vice chair of the dissolved group it’s a bit strange to only learn about it from the email shared via the mailing list, especially that you consulted with some members as you mention. As for my contribution to the strategy, although I had expressed my interest in joining the strategy group as soon as you sent the email announcing your new approach, I had not been included in the new mailing list nor informed about the first call. I only learned about the call after it happened from a community member who had received the call details. I contributed to maybe two calls and added maybe two comments after which I stopped attending the strategy calls. I consider my contribution to this strategy close to zero. As a community member I find the space lacking transparency and inclusivity and for the sake of a meaningful space, I wish we do not continue down this path. Best wishes Hadia Sent from my iPhone On 9 Jul 2025, at 9:47 PM, Fahd Batayneh <fahd.batayneh@icann.org> wrote: Dear Hadia, Layal, During the second quarter of FY25, particularly around ICANN81 in Istanbul, we had informal conversations with several regional community members regarding the next iteration of ICANN’s Middle East Regional Plan for FY26-FY30. These conversations were not targeted at specific individuals; rather, they occurred organically as part of our ongoing engagement with regional stakeholders. At no point did we say that we had consulted with “community leaders”, nor was there any intention to exclude anyone from the initial conversations. We remain committed to engaging openly with all regional stakeholders. Following the informal conversations, an email<https://lists.icann.org/hyperkitty/list/middle-east@icann.org/thread/A4M2AVO...> was sent to the larger community over the Middle East ICANN mailing list, in which we said “As we embark on developing the next Regional Plan for FY26-FY30 to go in line with ICANN’s Next Strategic Plan, and after a few discussions with some of you and other regional community members, we will be working on the next regional plan slightly differently. Rather than having a strategy working group, we plan on having an open mailing list to get feedback and input on the Middle East Regional Plan as it is being developed. The process will involve some webinars and mailing list communication leading to the finalization of the Regional Plan”. One point we perhaps should have clarified in this very email is that the purpose of this slight change was to make the process of developing the regional plan more open and inclusive by using a mailing list that anyone can join at any time, rather than continuing with the previous approach of a closed working group. It is worth noting however, that: * This email was never challenged as to the informal discussions, nor as to the working method proposed. * This very same email was sent to the MEAC-SWG mailing list, and again, no one challenged it. Please see the entire thread here<https://groups.google.com/g/icann-meswg-2020/c/tC8c90wndBU>. Hadia was the vice-chair of this group. * We sent a reminder to the Middle East ICANN mailing list about the above as seen here<https://lists.icann.org/hyperkitty/list/middle-east@icann.org/thread/H5AX7HN...>, which was an open invitation for everyone to attend the kick-off webinar for this work. * Here was another reminder for the general public kick-off call sent to the Middle East ICANN mailing list (here<https://lists.icann.org/hyperkitty/list/middle-east@icann.org/thread/S2SZWH4...>). The work leading to the FY26-FY30 Regional Plan was conducted entirely over the mailing list and through 4 calls. The work of this mailing list group was posted online here<https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MES/pages/112986283/FY26-F...>, and the mailing list archive is here<https://lists.icann.org/hyperkitty/list/middle-east-plan@icann.org/latest>. @Hadia, you and I had a conversation about you joining the new regional plan mailing list. While you felt that you were deliberately left off the new mailing list and group, I explained to you that we now have two mailing lists; the Middle East ICANN mailing list (middle-east@icann.org<mailto:middle-east@icann.org>) and the new regional plan mailing list (middle-east-plan@icann.org<mailto:middle-east-plan@icann.org>). You subsequently joined the new mailing list, and you did contribute to the work by attending some calls and providing input to the shared document we used to solicit input from the mailing list members. @Layal, you say in your email “I am disappointed in the mode of action the MENA staff and Space is taking”. I would like to better understand your concerns so we can address them appropriately. If you are able to share more details, we can work collaboratively to reach a constructive outcome. Let me finish by saying that we truly value everyone’s input. While we strive to strengthen our engagement with all stakeholders across the region, we recognize there is always room for improvement. Your feedback on how we can communicate and engage more effectively is important to us, and we would very much like to hear it. Thank you, Fahd From: Layal Jebran <me@layaljebran.com> Date: Tuesday, 8 July 2025 at 3:49 PM To: Hadia El Miniawi <Hadia@tra.gov.eg> Cc: Hadia El Miniawi <Hadia@tra.gov.eg>, Baher Esmat <baher.esmat@icann.org>, farzaneh badii <farzaneh.badii@gmail.com>, Fahd Batayneh <fahd.batayneh@icann.org>, ICANN Middle East <middle-east@icann.org> Subject: [Ext] Re: [ME ICANN] Re: [Blog] Charting the Path Forward: ICANN Middle East Regional Plan FY26–30 I add my voice to Hadia’s Being part of the SSAC and previous co-chair for the MENA space. I wasn’t consulted on this either. I ask for transparent, clear and inclusive processes moving forward. This is neither, and I am disappointed in the mode of action the MENA staff and Space is taking. I appreciate public replies to list, private messages will be ignored. Best, ~LJ layaljebran.com Signal LJ_.93 [signal.me]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/signal.me/*eu/_IE6B2VTfCB3vJij75pFg6rnPo9...> On Jul 8, 2025, at 14:42, Hadia Abdelsalam Mokhtar EL miniawi via Middle-East <middle-east@icann.org> wrote: Just to add to my previous email, I also reached out to Baher to express that, as vice chair of the group, I had never been approached or consulted. He acknowledged that I was right and confirmed it was an oversight. As a result I do not know who was included in those virtual consultations. I share this in the spirit of transparency and to help ensure that future processes are better communicated and are more inclusive. Kind regards Hadia Elminiawi From: Hadia Abdelsalam Mokhtar EL miniawi via Middle-East <middle-east@icann.org> Sent: 08 July 2025 14:25 To: baher.esmat <baher.esmat@icann.org>; farzaneh badii <farzaneh.badii@gmail.com>; fahd.batayneh <fahd.batayneh@icann.org> Cc: ICANN Middle East <middle-east@icann.org> Subject: [External] [ME ICANN] Re: [Blog] Charting the Path Forward: ICANN Middle East Regional Plan FY26–30 Dear Farzi and All, With regard to the strategy and for the sake of clarity, it was stated that, based on consultations with community leaders, a new strategy mailing list is being created. As the Vice Chair of the MEAC SWG, I only learned about this new mailing list through the email shared with the group – I was not part of any consultation process. Additionally, although I had explicitly requested to be added to the group, I only became aware of the new group after hearing about it from a member, who had attended one of the meetings. I then asked to be added to the mailing list, which means I joined the process late. So you might find my name on the list, but I have a fundamental concern with this strategy, and hence stopped joining the group. Best regards Hadia Elminiawi From: Baher Esmat via Middle-East <middle-east@icann.org<mailto:middle-east@icann.org>> Sent: 08 July 2025 14:00 To: farzaneh badii <farzaneh.badii@gmail.com<mailto:farzaneh.badii@gmail.com>>; fahd.batayneh <fahd.batayneh@icann.org<mailto:fahd.batayneh@icann.org>> Cc: ICANN Middle East <middle-east@icann.org<mailto:middle-east@icann.org>> Subject: [External] [ME ICANN] Re: [Blog] Charting the Path Forward: ICANN Middle East Regional Plan FY26–30 Dear Farzaneh, Thank you for your feedback and interest. I’d be happy to hear any suggestions you have for making the list more engaging. Best Baher From: farzaneh badii via Middle-East <middle-east@icann.org<mailto:middle-east@icann.org>> Reply-To: farzaneh badii <farzaneh.badii@gmail.com<mailto:farzaneh.badii@gmail.com>> Date: 6 July 2025 Sunday at 13:31 To: Fahd Batayneh <fahd.batayneh@icann.org<mailto:fahd.batayneh@icann.org>> Cc: ICANN Middle East <middle-east@icann.org<mailto:middle-east@icann.org>> Subject: [ME ICANN] Re: [Blog] Charting the Path Forward: ICANN Middle East Regional Plan FY26–30 Dear Fahd, Thank you. Seems like this mailing list and group has turned into a “newsletter” type where we don’t really receive meaningful updates to engage with. I missed the call for joining the brand new mailing list that you decided to create at the end of December so didn’t have a chance to contribute to the strategy. May I ask where I can find the mailing list archive and the recording of the virtual consultations you held and do you have a page on the members who contributed to the strategy? Farzaneh On Sun, Jul 6, 2025 at 5:58 AM Fahd Batayneh via Middle-East <middle-east@icann.org<mailto:middle-east@icann.org>> wrote: https://www.icann.org/en/blogs/details/charting-the-path-forward-icann-middl... I am pleased to share the final ICANN Middle East Regional Plan for Fiscal Years 2026–2030<https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/middle-east-regional-plan-fy26-3...>, along with the Implementation Plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026<https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/middle-east-implementation-plan-...>. The FY26–30 Middle East Regional Plan reflects the close collaboration between ICANN's Global Stakeholder Engagement (GSE) team in the Middle East and the region's community members. It builds on previous regional planning efforts and reflects a shared commitment to strengthening ICANN's work and impact across the region. The draft regional plan was posted for Public Comment on 31 March 2025, and the final version incorporates valuable feedback we received during the consultation period. Grounded in ICANN's FY26–30 Strategic Plan, the regional plan focuses on three core priorities: 1. Evolving and promoting ICANN's multistakeholder model to sustain its inclusive approach to Internet governance 2. Collaborating with relevant stakeholders to evolve the Internet's unique identifier systems 3. Strengthening the stability and security of the Internet's unique identifier systems For each of these focus areas, the plan outlines regional goals, activities, and intended outcomes. From supporting Universal Acceptance, the New gTLD Program: Next Round, and strengthening Domain Name System security to increasing participation from underrepresented communities, the plan is designed to translate global strategic priorities into regionally relevant goals, implemented through annual Implementation Plans. Community involvement has always been central to ICANN's regional planning in the Middle East, and this latest regional plan is no exception. Since 2013, each iteration has been shaped through active engagement with regional stakeholders. For this latest iteration, outreach began in late 2024. A dedicated mailing list was launched to share updates and invite input, supported by four virtual consultations that drew broad regional participation. Community members worked directly with the GSE Middle East team to refine the draft regional plan and ensured it addressed identified needs and priorities in the region. Community feedback, reflected directly in the final regional plan, is what shaped its direction and aligned it with ICANN's broader strategic focus. Our work doesn't stop with the publication of the five-year regional plan. To ensure progress remains measurable and responsive to changing needs, it will be carried out through annual implementation plans. The FY26 Implementation Plan outlines specific activities for the first year and sets the foundation for tracking results and refining our approach over time. The FY26–30 Middle East Regional Plan marks the fourth iteration of ICANN's regional planning for the Middle East, building on efforts dating back to 2013. Each version has helped improve and expand ICANN's engagement in the region. With this new phase, we aim to deepen partnerships, support technical capacity, and strengthen trust in ICANN's multistakeholder model. I want to thank everyone in the region who contributed to this work. Your insights and time were critical in shaping a framework that reflects both ICANN's global mission and the priorities of our regional community. I encourage you to read the regional plan, review the action items, and stay engaged as we move forward. _______________________________________________ Middle-East mailing list -- middle-east@icann.org<mailto:middle-east@icann.org> To unsubscribe send an email to middle-east-leave@icann.org<mailto:middle-east-leave@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). 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