07 July Summary Minutes

Participants: Tijani Ben Jemaa, Didier Kasole, Aziz Hilali, Baudoin Schombe, Pastor Peter, Fatimata Seye Sylla, Yaovi Atohoun, Michel Tchonang, Arnold Tric, Dave Kissoondoyal, Shaarawy Abd Elbaky, Hawa Diakite, Mohamed El Bashir
Staff: Gisella Gruber-White, Matthias Langenegger

Tijani: Before we begin I would like to transmit our deepest condolences to Dave Kisoondoyal.

Aziz: We start tonight's call with the roll call (see participant list above)

Didier will read the transcript and write the summary minutes for this call.

Tijani: I have written some comments on the ICANN transparency and accountability review

Update on the Joint AFRALO/AfrICANN Statement on new gTLDs

Dave: We are the only RALO who has submitted such a statement and received a lot of credit the ALAC and the wider ICANN community. All AFRALO ALSes and other African stakeholders present in Brussels participated in the development of the statement. The statement was transmitted to the ICANN Board.

Tijani: I translated the Statement in the French and submitted it to the Afri discuss list. We have participated in an important aspect of ICANN's work and have contributed an important piece of policy advice. It was sent to the Board and annexed to the ALAC Chair report. We have an excellent image at the moment and received compliments from all corners. We need to continue participating more actively to keep up the good image. We need to make more substantial comments such as the one we made in Brussels rather than continuous demands for more support.

Fatimata: The preparation for this Statement will serve as a model for future collaborations. We have reached out to the entire African ICANN constituency and were able to put together a significant document. Thanks and bravo to everybody involved.

Tijani: I was on the JAS WG yesterday and they recognize our efforts and will incorportate it in their works

Summary of Brussels Meeting Activities

Mohamed: I want to congratulate you on the work accomplished and I am convinced that the ICANN Board will take note of it.

Tijani: We also actively participated in the At-Large deliberations.
I also participated in a panellist discussion on new gTLDs

Yaovi: I also participated actively in the NomCom deliberations

Update on the At-Large Board Selection process

Tijani: The draft bylaw amendments were presented to the wider public before we were able to see it. This is not how this is usually done.According to ICANN Staff the first term will be for 3. 1/2 years but I ask all of you to participate in the PC

Yaovi: This evening we will deliberate on the Statement of Interest and the call for nominations.

Fatimata: I believe that we need to submit a public comment to highlight the African view on this.

Yaovi: I would raise caution on this approach as there could be contradictions.

Tijani: I suggest that we make a regional Statement and in addition to that, all of us make personal comments to highlight our preference for 3.5 years for the first term and have this included in the bylaw amendements.

Dave: I suggest we submit a regional statement and then everybody is free to add indivicual comments.

Hawa: I support Dave's proposal

It was decided that AFRALO will submit a regional Statement to the PC on the bylaw amendements in support of the first term being fixed to 3.5 years in the bylaws.

Recent and Upcoming Activities of ALAC

Dave: the board decided to open a PC on Board remuneration.

Any other Business

Tijani: in the newletters we receive updated on new PC and it is not even necessary to check the public consultation page

Tijani: unfortunatly, ICANN's budget which was presented in Brussels did not include any of our suggestions. The first of our activities in the coming year will be the IGF in Vilnius. Our workshop has been accepted by the iGF Secretariat and our workshop is ready. All we need is to find a funding source. We have reached out to ICANN for that. With regards to the capacity building proposal presented for Nairobi, we suggested to implement this for the next ICANN meeting in Africa.

Fatimata: it's disapponiting to see our suggestions being ignored

Others expressed themselves in the same vain

AI: Tijani will send an email to Cheryl and Kevin Wilson to inform them about the acceptance of AFRALO's IGF workshop and reiterate the need for funding from the part of ICANN.