<div dir="ltr">Dear NCSG members, <div><br></div><div>Kindly see below my Candidates statement </div><div><br></div><div><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-86072426-7fff-a07b-f016-2ce1add83f74"><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Name:</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> Benjamin Akinmoyeje</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Declared region of residence</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">: Africa</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Gender:</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> Male</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Employment: </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Ph.D. Research Candidate</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Any conflicts of interest:</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> None</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Questions:</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">I accepted the nomination to serve as NCSG chair because there are avenues to improve membership engagements and NCSG outreach activities and increase our global footprints and visibility. We urgently need to build our member's capacity to participate in the policy processes and reduce volunteer fatigue in our community. I am qualified to facilitate onboarding more members to participate actively in our policy development processes. I am eager to serve the community as the NCSG chair. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Provide a brief biography of recent experience, associations, and affiliations relevant to serving on the Executive Committee. Describe the relevance of your personal and professional experience to serve on the NCSG Chair , and identify any conflicts of interests you might have</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:12pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">I am a Ph.D. student of Informatics at the Faculty of Computing and Informatics, Namibia University of Science and Technology, conducting academic research in the area of excessive social media use among young adults and social media platform governance. I am part of the Human Rights Cross Community Working Party, an Article 19 Internet of Rights Fellow (fellowship focus was ensuring active participation of civil society in the ICANN multistakeholder governance process).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">I have over ten years of experience as a public health digital health expert working in Nigeria, supporting people living with HIV/AIDS, orphans, and vulnerable children and women in resource-constrained settings. I have the privilege of working with international nonprofit organizations to implement life-saving donor-funded projects in Nigeria, South Africa, and Africa.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">I joined NCUC and NCSG in 2013 during an NCUC outreach as a fresh graduate from the inaugural African School of Internet Governance, and I have been a committed member since then. I am an ICANN fellow alumnus and a member of the African multi-stakeholder. I was an NCUC Africa EC. I am a member of ISOC Nigeria and Namibia Chapters.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">I am currently the NCUC chair. As NCUC chair, I facilitated NCUC members’ calls more regularly; in collaboration with NCUC ECs, we established the NCUC Issue Forum to amplify NCUC’s voices on policy issues to the ICANN community. I also restored funding for the constituency from PIR for NCUC activities, introduced and recruited new leaders to NCUC, and ensured every region’s representation in NCUC leadership. I led the NCUC EC team to redesign the NCUC website; I secured alternative travel funding for NCUC members to multiple ICANN meetings.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">The past three years have seen positive engagements. I have managed to improve NCUC engagements in ICANN post-COVID-19. I also engaged the NCSG e-Team member. There were multiple productions and translations of the NCUC brochure for a wider audience. The NCUC leadership team improved the NCUC outreach, leading to increased membership recruitment.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">The NCSG Chair  performs several functional responsibilities for the Constituency. What level of time commitment can you bring to your NCSG Chair  role on a weekly and overall basis?</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Describe any concerns or limitations on your ability to attend online meetings of the Executive Committee and ICANN Meetings in person. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">As a research student, I have the privilege of participating actively in the ICANN process for up to 10 hours weekly to attend ICANN online meetings. I did show my availability and commitment to the constituency as an NCUC Chair; I was always available for the monthly NCUC EC meetings, and I was also available for all the NCUC engagements and interactions during ICANN public and policy fora.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Communication with the membership is critical. How would you keep members apprised of your NCSG Chair -related activities?</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:12pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">As the NCSG Chair, I will continue to strengthen the usual communication channel and our NCSG mailing list and coordinate with our constituencies to engage our membership. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">I will support our NCSG e-Team in engaging more with our members through our social media channels (Twitter) and showcasing our activities during and after ICANN meetings.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">I plan to engage a volunteer </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">strategic communication team</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> to coordinate the proper messaging of NCSG for helpful member orientation. I will continue democratizing NSCG information and communication materials to more diverse groups by collaborating with ICANN staff/ support to interpret the NCSG brochure in more local languages as I have done in NCUC.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">With eager members' help, enhance the NCSG wiki content for a more diverse audience.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">In collaboration with the NCSG, EC facilitates regular NCSG membership meetings beyond NCSG policy meetings to include membership in participation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">I will first inspire more interaction between the GNSO councilors and the membership, creating routine NCSG post-ICANN meeting readout sessions in collaboration with the constituencies. Secondly, routine NCSG town hall meetings would be motivated to improve interactions and support for our councilors.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">In collaboration with the NCSG ECs, I will facilitate regular meetings of the NCSG Executive Committee - in these meetings, we hope to prioritize the needs of our group.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">How do you foresee NCSG ’s function, scale, or role changing in the future? What areas of ICANN policy, if any, need more attention and why? Incumbent candidates should answer in a manner that is both backward and forward-looking, i.e. taking note of their contributions and work in the previous year.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">       </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:12pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">It is important to note that the GNSO councilors take the lead in the policy direction of the NCSG, and I, as the chair, ensure proper coordination with the members to advocate for their positions.However, in the fast-moving Internet age, Artificial Intelligence, dynamic ICANN multistakeholder community processes, and other Internet governance processes, NCSG must be active, waiting for different stakeholders to set an agenda on policy development processes.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">NCSG, as the representatives of the noncommercial community, must be innovative and proactive in protecting the rights of civil societies, academia, human rights activists, and under-represented communities in the ICANN DNS policies development process. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">We must be agile in understanding the trends in the age of multiple Internet governance processes that challenge the ICANN multistakeholder approach to Internet governance.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">NCSG must enhance civil society representation in multistakeholder engagement, not just through the robust participation of a few strong members but also by amplifying the voices of many diverse members.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">The immediate policies required for the NCSG active engagement is to ensure that DNS Abuse is adequately defined and not used as an instrument to get ICANN into content moderation or access to registrant private data, domain name registrants, and human rights are protected. Review of the Draft Registry Service Provider (RSP) Handbook-New gTLD Program, Policy Status Report: GNSO Policy & Implementation Working Group Recommendations, Phase 2 Initial Report of the EPDP on Internationalized Domain Names, and Public Interest Commitments (PICs) and Registry Voluntary Commitments (RVCs).</span></p></span><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div>Yours Sincerely,</div><div>Benjamin Akinmoyeje </div></div>