AFRALO ALS SELF-ASSESSMENT
At the end of the General Assembly in Mexico, it was determined that each ALS had
to make a self-assessment report in order to improve participation in the activities
related to ICANN (through AFRALO and the At-Large Advisory committee (ALAC))
On a total of 31 accredited ALS, only the following organizations have answered to
the request and sent their self-assessment report:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
ACOUL,
Bokk Jang,
CAFEC,
ISOC-Mali,
ISOC-Benin,
Mediterranean Federation of Internet Associations,
Nigerian Internet Users Coalition
These ALS reports can be synthesized under these three headings:
 OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION
Some organizations have voluntarily registered and become ICANN accredited ALS
in order to become the voice of ICANN by the African Internet users and relay the
African user’s views to ICANN. The problem consists in how to motivate this
community to take active part in the works of ICANN and defend our interests at the
same time.
 PROBLEMS
 The ICANN activities are scarcely known by the communities, the political
decision-makers, regional and sub regional development support
organizations
 The English language is a major obstacle: All the official documents are
produced in English and then, translated into the other than English
international languages. Because of it, there is a relatively long waiting time
between the English original documents and their publication in the other
languages; meanwhile the discussions about these documents has already
taken place.
 The non English-speaking community members who take the trouble
reading the English original versions take longer time to read them, which
explains some beyond deadline feedbacks or the absence of any reaction
during the discussions, especially given that the documents are often very
long..
 People are often not available for keeping track with the flow of the
information received: the time needed to read that information, to reflect on
it and finally react within the deadline. Voluntary work is not widespread
and is not well integrated into our life patterns; each of us has to rush for
survival and for immediate income
 The Internet user community lacks motivation to participate because they
fail to see the interest it could have for them.
 African People are not used to read, especially online.
 Access to the Internet is problematic for many reasons: Internet cyber
places are too far away or too costly and also technically deficient because
of slow connections and lack of proper energy resources;
 The impact of the ALS comments upon the decisions that are taken in the
end is not always apparent
 ALS Members experience great difficulties due to the World financial crisis
and in that context; it is not always directly relevant to speak about Internet
to people who don’t have enough food on a daily basis.
 RECOMMENDATIONS
 ICANN must develop a Media Communication Strategy so as to inform
about its activities in a popularized manner (mission and Icann objectives)
because locally, nationally and even regionally, the African people remain
unaware of these activities. Briefing sessions/training courses on the
following should be organized:
o ICANN mission and objectives
o How can the community participate in the works?
o How can this participation benefit to the community?
 Set up a qualifying education program (with diploma, if possible) on the
ICANN activities (similar to ‘Diplo-Foundation’ and taught in the official
national languages of the region with sufficient publicity around this
program)
 Resort to local human resources to support and train the ALS with respect
to their participation in ICANN activities
 Stimulate the funding for African ALS representatives travel support given
the two following reasons:
o It would give these ALS a better knowledge of the ICANN World and
structure
o An opinion or comment expressed in a face to face meeting leaves
a much longer and effective impact (better valued andrecorded thus
can better influence a decision).
 The Afralo members who master the two languages (English and French)
must participate more actively and share the information they have with the
community in both languages through our discussion list
 We urge also the Non English speaking natives to make an effort, given
that English is everywhere and thus essential in the Internet area.
 To already target the youth that we are going to train and will have to take
over from us.
 Need to educate members and make them aware of the cause and effect
relation behind the use of Internet and the level of regional development
achieved.
 Need to develop the Internet businesses in Africa (registries, registrars,
Websites, hosting, e-commerce…)
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