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<p>Dear Milton</p>
<br>
<p>You are often the person that asks tough questions in an
uncompromising way. I like and value that about you even when I
don't agree with you :) But speaking as an African I would
appreciate it if you could do so without making generalisations
about the region and its governments. Africa is not inherently
'unstable' or undemocratic, as you imply. In fact, living in the
US at present you probably have firsthand knowledge of how erratic
states and their leaders can be and how risky it is to make
assumptions about them.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>From my perspective as someone who has tried to follow the
process closely, but from a distance, I do have questions over and
above those in the NCSG letter, but they can wait for a bit later
and should be addressed to the AfriNIC board and to Smart Africa
and the African Union.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>For example, does the MOU between Smart Africa and the African
Union Commission include commitment to comply with the <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/42078-doc-DATA-POLICY-FRAMEWORKS-2024-ENG-V2.pdf">AU's
Data Policy Framework</a>, and the <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/newsevents/workingdocuments/33025-wd-african_declaration_on_internet_governance_en_0.pdf">AU
Declaration on Internet Governance </a> which affirms freedom of
expression, openness and the WSIS principles of multistakeholder
participation? And, will Smart Africa int is interaction/support
of AfriNIC adhere to the <a moz-do-not-send="false"
href="cid:part2.Naj000J0.A4kgHMma@apc.org">African Commission on
Human and People's Rights Declaration of Principles on Freedom
of Expression</a>. The latter is a particularly strong document
and shaped by multistakeholder consultation and in particular
civil society input. AfriNIC has in the past been active in the
formulation of AU internet-related policies.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>I also have questions on how Smart Africa, which is indeed doing
good work and filling a gap left by the lack of capacity at the
African Union Commission, plans to work with civil society and
promote and protect human rights in its digital governance work.
While Smart Africa does not exclude civil society, it does seem to
practice its multistakeholder approach primarily through working
with the private sector. AfriNIC also always needed to strengthen
its connections with civil society. I hope that new board will
help make that happen. </p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>These are not questions for ICANN but I think they are questions
relevant to many NCSG members involved in internet governance in
Africa (and beyond). Emmanuel and others, if you do have some of
the answers to my questions, please share.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<br>
<p>Anriette</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<br>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Anriette Esterhuysen - <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:anriette@apc.org//anriette@gmail.com">anriette@apc.org//anriette@gmail.com</a></pre>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2025/11/14 17:50, Mueller, Milton L
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
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I support the letter 100%</div>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif"
style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> Rafik
Dammak <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:rafik.dammak@gmail.com"><rafik.dammak@gmail.com></a><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, November 14, 2025 1:55 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> NCSG <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:ncsg-discuss@listserv.syr.edu"><ncsg-discuss@listserv.syr.edu></a>; ncsg-pc
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:ncsg-pc@lists.ncsg.is"><ncsg-pc@lists.ncsg.is></a><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Mueller, Milton L <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:milton@gatech.edu"><milton@gatech.edu></a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [NCSG-Discuss] Is ICANN helping to subvert
its own governance model?</font>
<div> </div>
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<div>hi all,</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>thanks for the comments and input to letter, here the
new version after resolving the changes <a
href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CPgRLILaCtsda8YRA4mUtElLXYS6udjF8cHvTo2AXHI/edit?tab=t.0"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CPgRLILaCtsda8YRA4mUtElLXYS6udjF8cHvTo2AXHI/edit?tab=t.0</a> .</div>
<div>If there is no strong objection or concern, we can send
this letter asap to the board for consideration, hopefully
by the end of the day.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Best,</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Rafik</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<div class="x_gmail_quote x_gmail_quote_container">
<div dir="ltr" class="x_gmail_attr">Le jeu. 13 nov. 2025
à 23:08, Mueller, Milton L <<a
href="mailto:00001d75540da649-dmarc-request@listserv.syr.edu"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">00001d75540da649-dmarc-request@listserv.syr.edu</a>>
a écrit :<br>
</div>
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<div class="x_msg-1162883159886474037">
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<div
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> I want to urge NCSG members that as we ask for
more information, we do so without undermining
AfriNIC's new board </div>
<div
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> and the efforts of this board and those working
with it to stabilise AfriNIC. They need our support.</div>
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Absolutely correct. The focus should be on CAIGA
proposal, which deviates from multistakeholder
principles, the new Afrinic board has very little to
do with that as far as I know. </div>
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<p
style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family:Calibri,sans-serif; font-size:11pt">
<span
style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif">Dr.</span>
<span
style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif">
Milton L Mueller</span></p>
<p
style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family:Calibri,sans-serif; font-size:11pt">
<span
style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif">Georgia
Institute of Technology</span></p>
<p
style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family:Calibri,sans-serif; font-size:11pt">
<span
style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif">School
of Public Policy</span></p>
<p
style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family:Calibri,sans-serif; font-size:11pt">
<a title="https://internetgovernance.org"
href="https://internetgovernance.org"
target="_blank"
style="text-decoration:none; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px"
moz-do-not-send="true"><img height="79"
width="320"
id="x_m_-1162883159886474037image_0"
style="width:320px; height:79px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px"
data-outlook-trace="F:1|T:1"
src="cid:part1.TU0719aP.MX50poOU@apc.org"
class=""></a></p>
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