ICANN to host first capacity building workshop for African GAC members
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in collaboration with the ICANN Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) Underserved Regions Working Group (UsRWG) is currently holding its first capacity building workshop for the Africa Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) members in Nairobi, Kenya.
The first capacity building workshop on the theme: “Harnessing the Potential of the Africa GAC Members for better Participation in ICANN” started yesterday, and will end today with the support of the Communication Authority and the Government of Kenya.
The regional workshop is the first to be organized by ICANN which recently established the Nairobi Engagement Office.
ICANN’s mission is to ensure a stable, secure and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet you have to type an address into your computer – a name or a number.
That address has to be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN coordinates these unique identifiers across the world. Without that coordination, we wouldn’t have one global Internet.
Buket Coskuner, global media coordinator for ICANN, in a statement, disclosed that from ICANN, Göran Marby, the President & CEO; Thomas Schneider, GAC Chair are both present with executives, the regional ICANN team, and community members.
The workshop focuses on raising awareness and assisting in building capacity of the African GAC representatives and governments on how best to effectively participate and contribute to policy making at ICANN.
It is also to introduce critical active relevant policy topics, working groups including relevant GAC and cross-community working groups that require the immediate attention and participation of GAC members. The workshop seeks feedback from the African GAC representatives on how to better help them improve their regional footprint as well as at ICANN, Coskuner said.
The workshop covers a range of topics including understanding the ICANN Ecosystem; policy development process at ICANN; ICANN Africa Strategy – an Overview.
New gTLDs and the Role of GAC: understanding ccTLD re-delegation.
Luna Madi, communications director (ICANN) EMEA, said the body looks towards creating a stronger association with the community in Africa, including governments in the region, to help increase awareness and participation in ICANN’s work and the Internet policy processes under ICANN’s remit.
