Question: Do you find any role for African Governments in the current developments of Icann? And what about the African private sector ?

Nominee Replies

Alan Levin - posted on 2000-09-26 14:53:28 Yes, there is an important role for African Governments and the private sector. I feel that the informal ICANN role that Governments should and do play, is the participatory role that all individuals and organisations play in various ICANN groups. I applaud all the positive work that Governments have done and continue to do, in building appropriate skills and infrastructure and all attempts by Governments to support and grow African participation in ICANN. I feel the role that the private sector plays is just as important and works in the same way. Like governments, private sector companies support and employ those experts that work in various ICANN groups. Every party should benefit from the knowledge and experience gained through the ICANN structure and collaborative process. In essence, all stakeholders have an equally important role to play if ICANN is to be capable of real technical self-management'. Nii Quaynor - posted on 2000-09-21 09:20:03 There are great roles for both Government and the private sector as well as the civil society. Government has a formal opportunity to participate directly in GAC. Governments also informally play a role as partners in development with several of the SO members and there is continuous dialog which is important not to be overlooked. In many developing countries, including Africa's, Governments play critical role in everything and that should be harnessed in the development of the African Institutions to increase participation in ICANN. Governments do enable some things. The private sector is the engine of growth and is an excellent source of revenue and expertise for participation in SOs. The civil society has a balancing role in addition to building the information society. Calvin Browne - posted on 2000-09-20 23:39:42 I believe the Forum for government participation in ICANN to be the GAC (see http://www.noie.gov.au/projects/international/DNS/gac/index.htm ) It would be highly presumptuous for me to try and tell career diplomats how to go about their jobs. Fortunately, not all African Governments have been as short sighted as mine, and some have actually attended GAC meetings on a regular basis - look to these African Countries for leadership in Internet Activities. The African private sector has many avenues open: ISP's and Business have outlet through their respective constituencies in the DNSO, as with African IP practioners. I get very wary and would shy away from telling people how to run their businesses. At the same time, we must remember that policies (slow start IP blocks for a regional IP registrar) can go a long way to kick starting Internet development.