1.1. Objection-filing
Formal objections to the applications can be filed on any of four enumerated grounds, by parties with standing to object. The objection-filing period will open after ICANN posts the lists of complete applications and will last approximately 7 months. Applicants whose applications are the subject of an objection will have the opportunity to file a response.
1.2. Initial Evaluation
Initial Evaluation will begin immediately after the administrative completeness check concludes. Background screening on the applying entity and the individuals named in the application will be conducted.
There are two main elements of the Initial Evaluation
1. ‘String reviews’ include a determination that the applied for gTLD string is not likely to cause security or stability problems in the DNS, including problems caused by similarity to existing TLDs or reserved names.
2. ‘Applicant reviews’ include a determination whether or not the applicant has the requisite technical, operational and financial capabilities to operate a registry.
1.3. Extended Evaluation
Applicants failing certain elements of the Initial Evaluation can request an Extended Evaluation. The Extended Evaluation period allows for an additional exchange of information between the applicant and evaluators to clarify information contained in the application. Any application may be required to enter an Extended Evaluation if one or more proposed registry services raise technical issues that might adversely affect the security or stability of the DNS.
1.4. Dispute Resolution
Dispute Resolution applies only to applicants whose applications are the subject of a formal objection. The formal objection procedure exists to provide a path for those who wish to object to an application that has been submitted to ICANN. Dispute resolution service providers serve as the fora to adjudicate the proceedings.
1.5. String Contention
String contention refers to the scenario in which there is more than one qualified application for the identical gTLD string or similar gTLD strings. ‘Similar’ means strings so similar that they create a probability of user confusion if more than one of the strings is delegated into the root zone. Groups of applied for strings that are either identical or similar are called ‘contentious’ sets.
1.6. Transition to Delegation
Applicants successfully completing all the relevant stages are required to carry out a series of concluding steps before delegation of the applied for gTLD into the root zone. Once all of the steps have been successfully completed, the applicant is eligible for delegation of its applied for gTLD into the DNS root zone.
For further info, see the ICANN Applicant Guide Book.
archive.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/rfp-clean-30may11-en.pdf
Features: The Women of dotAfricaDotAfrica is pleased to commemorate Women’s Month celebrated in South Africa: an annual commemoration and celebration of the anniversary of the great
Women's March of 1956, when women marched to the Union Buildings in protest against the carrying of pass books.
In this spirit, dotAfrica is showcasing the women who are members of the
dotAfrica Steering Committee: Simla Budhu, Ndeye Maimouna Diop Diagne, Rachida Fakhri, Octavia Kumalo, Lucky Waindi, Fiona Jean Wallace, Rebecca Wanjiku.
Lucky Waindi (currently on maternity leave; her profile will be featured in a future newsletter.)
Simla Budha is involved in the Legal & Policy departments of UniForum SA; her responsibilities include working on its application for dotAfrica and meeting with constituents at ICANN conferences and other similar venues, such as INET. Prior positions include work with the University of South Africa's Department of Public, Constitutional and International Law.
Simla is an admitted attorney (currently not practising) who joined UniForum SA as its Legal and Policy Manager for the co.za domain name space. Thus far she has been involved in many facets of the co.za domain name transition into the role of the Central Registry (ZACR), such as the review of the Registrar Accreditation Agreement, Service Level Agreements as well the Registry Operator Agreement all of which are fundamental to the formalisation of the registry-registrar relationship within the .za domain space.
Simla is also currently the Director of the LSSA-UNISA Distance Learning School for Legal Practice where she coordinates and rolls out practical legal training initiatives to LLB graduates through a distance-learning model, on an e-learning platform. Management, policy, content development, project management and creation of reference material (training manuals) are all skills that she has developed within this environment.
Ndéye Maimouna Diop Diagne currently holds the position of ICT Director at Senegal's Ministry of Post, Telecommunications and ICT. She has been a computer engineer since 1994. From 2000 to 2004, she worked as a technical advisor on ICT to the Senegalese Government. Prior to that, she helped to install and administrate the national IP Backbone for the Senegalese Telecommunications Company.
She also takes part in activities of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE).
Maimouna is a member of the Observatoire sur les Systèmes d'Information, les Réseaux et les Inforoutes au Sénégal (OSIRIS). She is also the Vice Chair of the Senegalese Chapter of the Internet Society (ISOC) and Chair of the Senegalese IPv6 Forum.
Maimouna holds a degree in Data Processing, Computer Science Engineering and Technology. She has also received training on Internet Governance through the Diplo Foundation.
Rachida Jouhari (Fakhri) is a telecommunication engineer, currently working as Project Manager at Morocco's Ministry of Trade, Commerce and New Technologies. She is Morocco's representative in ICANN's GAC; as such, she participates in general ICANN meetings, summit sessions, and with the At-Large structures. She also communicates with AfriNIC and AfNOG.
Rachida is the former President of the Moroccan Association of Civil Society for the Information Society. She worked for France Telecom before returning to Morocco. She has also worked on a Moroccan project that provided technical equipment and training to establish multi-media centres in schools.
Rachida served as a member of the Board of Directors for AfriNIC from 2007 to 2010.
Octavia Kumalo is a dynamic young woman and entrepreneur. An Honours BCom graduate in Infomatics from UP, at the age of 29, Octavia has already pioneered several exciting new initiatives. With a sound background in enterprise architecture, Octavia is well placed to assist lots of entities turn their clever ideas into reality.
Octavia is passionate about women’s empowerment and philanthropic initiatives and is always looking for ways to bring her various interests into synergetic collaboration.
Octavia is currently working as the Marketing & Communications Manager for the dotAfrica project at the ZA Central Registry. She is also the Managing Director for the Foundation for Internet Development (FID), an initiative created to develop and train young entrepreneurs within the ICT Sector.
Rebecca Wanjiku is a freelance journalist and public relations consultant. With over 10 years’ experience as a journalist in Kenya and abroad, she has covered issues of Internet governance, telecoms, ICT consumer issues, policy and regulation among other technology stories. Wanjiku.co.ke is her personal blog.
She has worked in print and online media, covering issues in health, environment, human rights, the law, and now specialises in technology.
She is currently the East Africa Correspondent for IDG News Service, a technology Newswire. A number of her stories have been covered by Computerworld, PCWorld and Infoworld.
She is one of the founding members of Highway Africa News Agency and extensively covered the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva and Tunis.
She authored a chapter on Citizen Journalism in East Africa in a book published by Rhodes University on democracy in Africa. She has also been involved in telecoms policy research under APC.
Fiona Jean Wallace has over 30 years’ experience in high school education, having taught English and various other subjects in state and independent schools in South Africa and Zimbabwe. In 2007 she left Holy Family College, Parktown, Johannesburg, after 8 years as Principal.
She currently oversees CoZa Cares, UniForum SA’s innovative, social investment programme whose main focus is the enabling of sustainable ICT environments in under-resourced South African schools. CoZa Cares will be transitioning into an independent foundation in 2012. Fiona also chairs the ISPA Teacher Training Working Group. She is a freelance editor, specializing in the development and editing of interactive learning and training materials for children and adults, and is a Full Member of the Professional Editors’ Guild. An Associate of the Hieper Institute, Fiona is involved in school readiness, subject choice and career assessments in South African schools and the workplace. Fiona is the Deputy Chairperson of the Governing Body of the National School of the Arts, with special focus on the school’s Advancement Unit.
http//www.cozacares.co.za
http://www.facebook.com/CoZaCares
Twitter:
@CoZa_Cares
An interesting watch
Until next time… Keep an eye out for us at The Africa Peering Forum (Johannesburg), iWeek (Cape Town) and ICANN 45.
Remember to follow us on
Twitter &
Facebook.
Check out our website for daily news:
africainonespace.org
