<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">Actually, the visa service company i used is called Newland Chase, a UK based company. I think it is available for all ICANN funded travelers if they request their services. At some point in time they were reaching out to supported travelers directly to offer help but this time i had to ask for their help.<div><br></div><div>Knowing that they are being paid (by ICANN) for this service, i sometimes declined their help when the visa process to an ICANN meeting was easy and straight forward for me.</div><div><br></div><div>For this particular meeting, i requested their help. We worked together in collecting information about Panama visa requirements (i was hoping they pull out what i didn’t know already from my own desk research) but they could not help me secure the Panamian visa and had to abandon the process at last minute when things turned out to be complicated.</div><div><br></div><div>Then Joseph (from CT) took over and started negociating visa on arrival which turned out to be impossible to get as per a Panamian Consul Officer. I was notified of this like two days before the planned travel date, while i was still hoping i would make it.</div><div><br></div><div>Some of our members suggested that there should be a cut off date by when if a traveler cannot secure visa on time, his travel support can be transfered to another community member to maximise participation at a particular meeting. Something like what Farzaneh did, transfering her travel support to Elsa when she knew she would not make it to the meeting. I also agree that this should be made clear in travel guidelines and i wish i was able to transfer my travel slot to someone else whose visa was straight forward.</div><div><br></div><div>My apologies if all this is not useful but thought to share :)<br><div id="AppleMailSignature"><div>-----------------</div><div>Arsène Tungali,</div><div><a href="http://about.me/ArseneTungali">about.me/ArseneTungali</a></div><div>+243 993810967</div><div>GPG: 523644A0</div><div>Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo</div><div><br></div>Sent from my iPhone (excuse typos)</div><div><br>On Jun 28, 2018, at 5:22 AM, David Cake <<a href="mailto:dave@DAVECAKE.NET">dave@DAVECAKE.NET</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">We should also be requesting that, as part of constituency travel, ICANN should be extending community access to the visa service it users (currently CIBT), and actively assisting in obtaining visas. I’m not sure if this service is already available to covered travellers, but I think it should be more widely available and promoted even if it is. <div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">David<br class=""><div><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On 26 Jun 2018, at 7:31 pm, Mike <<a href="mailto:mkaranicolas@GMAIL.COM" class="">mkaranicolas@GMAIL.COM</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" class=""><div dir="auto" class=""><div class=""><span class=""></span></div><div class=""><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" class="">Hi all,<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Fully concur with the need to take this conversation forward to try and level the playing field for developing world participation at ICANN. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">It may be of interest that, for next month’s Open Government Partnership Summit in Tbilisi, the g<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">overnment of Georgia passed a special decree allowing for visa-free travel for all OGP Summit attendees. Granted, the OGP operates with a high level of official government buy-in, but perhaps ICANN’s situation may be somewhat analogous, given that these meetings are often planned in partnership with senior government figures? It may be worth exploring...</span></div><div class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class=""><br class=""></span></div><div class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">Best,</span></div><div class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class=""><br class=""></span></div><div class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">Michael Karanicolas </span></div><div class=""><br class=""><div class="">Sent from my iPhone</div><div class=""><br class="">On Jun 26, 2018, at 1:27 AM, dorothy g <<a href="mailto:dgdorothydg@GMAIL.COM" class="">dgdorothydg@GMAIL.COM</a>> wrote:<br class=""><br class=""></div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class="">When I say escalate I mean beyond conversation. Every bid should explain by region how they will facilitate visas and smooth entry. If they cannot guarantee equal access then they should not be considered. <div class=""><br class=""></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br class=""><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Jun 25, 2018 at 4:59 PM, Onica Makwakwa <span dir="ltr" class=""><<a href="mailto:nmakwakwa@aol.com" target="_blank" class="">nmakwakwa@aol.com</a>></span> wrote:<br class=""><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" class="">Greetings,</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" class="">I second that suggestion from Dorothy as I suspect this will be a greater challenge for Barcelona (based on past experience dealing with their embassies in this region). Beyond just escalating this, we need to have a conversation on how ease of visa issuance should be a big part when considering meeting locations. </div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" class="">Onica</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" class="">Onica N. Makwakwa</div><div class=""><div class="h5"><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" class=""><br class=""><br class="">-----Original Message-----<br class="">From: dorothy g <<a href="mailto:dgdorothydg@GMAIL.COM" target="_blank" class="">dgdorothydg@GMAIL.COM</a>><br class="">To: NCSG-DISCUSS <<a href="mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU" target="_blank" class="">NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU</a><wbr class="">><br class="">Sent: Mon, Jun 25, 2018 6:50 pm<br class="">Subject: Re: Elsa Saade as temp alternate to Arsene on GNSO Council<br class=""><br class=""></div>
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<div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolReplacedBody"><div dir="ltr" class="">Is it possible for us to document all those who could not attend due to visa issues and escalate this concern? We need Africans to be at the table.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">best</div></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_extra"><br class=""><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_quote">On Mon, Jun 25, 2018 at 4:29 PM, Adeel Sadiq <span dir="ltr" class=""><<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:11beeasadiq@seecs.edu.pk" target="_blank" class="">11beeasadiq@seecs.edu.pk</a>></span> wrote:<br class=""><blockquote class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr" class="">One part of the bigger picture is, most of the ICANN staff are from developed countries who don't face strict visa issues like people from developing countries do. I have been denied visa to attend a similar conferences (not ICANN though) more than once. I even tried to raise the same issue in Public Forum at Copenhagen, but was politically turned down with almost a null response by the so-called 'meeting team'. You never realize the true measure of a problem unless it is at your personal doorstep.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Regards</div><span class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_HOEnZb"><span style="color:#888888" class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Adeel</div></span></span></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_HOEnZb"><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_h5"><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_extra"><br class=""><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_quote">On Mon, Jun 25, 2018 at 9:12 PM, dorothy g <span dir="ltr" class=""><<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:dgdorothydg@gmail.com" target="_blank" class="">dgdorothydg@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br class=""><blockquote class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr" class="">This is an extremely important point Arsene. There is no justification for choosing such a location without making special arrangements.<div class="">Glad at least you can listen in.</div></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_extra"><br class=""><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_quote">On Mon, Jun 25, 2018 at 3:29 PM, Arsène Tungali <span dir="ltr" class=""><<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:arsenebaguma@gmail.com" target="_blank" class="">arsenebaguma@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br class=""><blockquote class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto" class="">Thanks Elsa, everyone!<div class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">It is unfortunate that the gov of Panama could not grant visa on arrival while they are aware that their visa process is very complicated.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Think: they only have two consulates in the whole African continent!!!</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I hope ICANN Org will be able to negociate things like these beforehand when they select host countries.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Thanks Elsa for willing to help and thanks Farzaneh and the EC for working out this very quickly!<br class=""><br class=""><div id="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194AppleMailSignature" class=""><div class="">-----------------</div><div class="">Arsène Tungali,</div><div class=""><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://about.me/ArseneTungali" target="_blank" class="">about.me/ArseneTungali</a></div><div class="">+243 993810967</div><div class="">GPG: 523644A0</div><div class="">Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo</div><div class=""><br class=""></div>Sent from my iPhone (excuse typos)</div><div class=""><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937h5"><div class=""><br class="">On Jun 25, 2018, at 5:11 PM, Elsa S <<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:elsa.saade@GMAIL.COM" target="_blank" class="">elsa.saade@GMAIL.COM</a>> wrote:<br class=""><br class=""></div><blockquote class=""><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small">It really saddens me that some of us haven't been able to make it because of Visa issues. But happy to help and make myself available anytime!</div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small"><br class=""></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small">Best,</div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small"><br class=""></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small">Elsa</div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small">--</div></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_extra"><br class=""><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_quote">On Mon, Jun 25, 2018 at 9:31 AM, dorothy g <span dir="ltr" class=""><<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:dgdorothydg@gmail.com" target="_blank" class="">dgdorothydg@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br class=""><blockquote class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr" class="">So I guess this is a last minute thing given the visa issue. Thank you Elsa for stepping in. When will this discrimination against Africans stop! Arsene glad you can listen in and hopefully next time you will not encounter this problem.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">best</div></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194HOEnZb"><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194h5"><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_extra"><br class=""><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_quote">On Mon, Jun 25, 2018 at 1:25 PM, farzaneh badii <span dir="ltr" class=""><<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:farzaneh.badii@gmail.com" target="_blank" class="">farzaneh.badii@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br class=""><blockquote class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr" class=""><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">She still takes on some of my tasks. She was not going to replace me. But because we found out last minute that Arsene cannot make it, thought it's better to have an alternate for Arsene because this is an important meeting. </div><span class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194m_593327391836024645HOEnZb"><span style="color:#888888" class=""><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br class=""></div><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194m_593327391836024645m_-6964948663974171858gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr" class=""><div class=""><span face="verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif" class="">Farzaneh </span></div></div></div></div><br class=""></span></span></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194m_593327391836024645HOEnZb"><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194m_593327391836024645h5"><br class=""><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="">On Mon, Jun 25, 2018 at 8:23 AM Farell FOLLY <<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:farell@benin2point0.org" target="_blank" class="">farell@benin2point0.org</a>> wrote:<br class=""></div><blockquote class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="word-wrap:break-word;line-break:after-white-space" class="">Hello Mrs Chair,<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Thanks for the info, but I thought Elsa was going to replace you instead? What happened?<br class=""><div class="">
<div dir="auto" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap:break-word;line-break:after-white-space" class=""><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" class=""><br class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194m_593327391836024645m_-6964948663974171858m_-3062078520641308535Apple-interchange-newline">@__f_f__</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" class="">Best Regards<br class="">______________________________<wbr class="">______<br class=""><br class="">Ekue (Farell) FOLLY<br class="">Technology Champion & Chapter Head</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" class="">Africa 2.0 Foundation.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" class=""><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.africa2point0.org/" target="_blank" class="">www.africa2point0.org</a></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" class=""><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://linkedin.com/in/farellf" target="_blank" class="">linkedin.com/in/farellf</a><br class=""></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" class=""><br class=""></div><br class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194m_593327391836024645m_-6964948663974171858m_-3062078520641308535Apple-interchange-newline"></div></div><br class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194m_593327391836024645m_-6964948663974171858m_-3062078520641308535Apple-interchange-newline"></div><br class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194m_593327391836024645m_-6964948663974171858m_-3062078520641308535Apple-interchange-newline"></div><br class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194m_593327391836024645m_-6964948663974171858m_-3062078520641308535Apple-interchange-newline" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194m_593327391836024645m_-6964948663974171858m_-3062078520641308535Apple-interchange-newline">
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<div class=""><br class=""><blockquote class=""><div class="">On 24 Jun 2018, at 07:49, farzaneh badii <<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:farzaneh.badii@gmail.com" target="_blank" class="">farzaneh.badii@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div><br class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194m_593327391836024645m_-6964948663974171858m_-3062078520641308535Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">Dear all,</div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br class=""></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">Unfortunately, Arsene cannot make it to Panama. Arsene will be participating remotely in the Council meetings but we decided that for an in-person presence, Elsa Saade can be his temp alternate.</div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br class=""></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">This was a last minute decision which we had to take because we were still hopeful that Arsene could make it. </div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br class=""></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">Will see you and Arsene remotely in virtual meeting rooms.</div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br class=""></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">Best </div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br class=""></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br class=""></div><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br class=""></div><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194m_593327391836024645m_-6964948663974171858m_-3062078520641308535gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr" class=""><div class=""><span face="verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif" class="">Farzaneh </span></div></div></div></div></div>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br class=""><br clear="all" class=""><span class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663HOEnZb"><span style="color:#888888" class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div>-- <br class=""><div class="m_-8005759433358939332aolmail_m_-9187440693243303663m_-6235401308472346937m_-6587834271715235194gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr" class=""><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class="">--<br class=""><br class="">Elsa Saade<br class="">Consultant</div></div><div class="">Gulf Centre for Human Rights</div><div class="">Twitter: @Elsa_Saade</div></div></div></div></div>
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