APRALO Statement on the External Review of the Nominating Committee

Draft by Hong Xue

NomCom assumes the important responsibility of recruitment and appointment of qualified candidates to the Board of the ICANN. Undeniably, NomCom has successfully recruited a number of talented people who made or are making significant contributions to the Board and the whole ICANN community. However, from the perspective of the Asia-Pacific Internet user community, NomCom’s latest appointment of Board members seemingly deviated from those principles that it had sustained. With all three appointees from Europe and no one from Asia , the appointment further deteriorates the geographical unbalance in the Board. As a result, there is now only one member of the Board from Asia ( India ). Notwithstanding that all three European appointees to the Board are excellent and qualified talents, undermining the principle of geographical and cultural diversity concerns the Asia-Pacific Internet user community. It is legitimate for the AP users to doubt whether the demands and needs from this region can sufficiently and promptly be understood and addressed by such a west-dominated Board. The users wish to ask whether the NomCom anticipated such consequence when making the selection.

Apart from the principle of diversity, the user community is also concerned about the procedural justice of selection. It is far from clear why the NomCom selected one candidate over another. Particularly, those candidates who were interviewed but unselected did not even get a notification or a message of regret. They did not know they had failed until and unless the result was announced. This is very counterproductive to further recruitment efforts. Those people who volunteered their time and energy in participation of NomCom selection deserve respect and appreciation.

APRALO hopes that NomCom process could be substantially and efficiently improved through this review and the Internet community in this region is willing to offer any help, if needed.