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<p>No Milton, Kathy stopped discussing the matter when it became
clear that we were having the full and robust dialogue that we
needed to have -- complete with members of NCSG very involved in
the work of helping AfriNIC find its new (and positive) path.
Emmanuel has been out front on this issue on this and other lists
- and in the global communication space as well. </p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Having senior members of the Policy Committee - including
drafters and coordinators of many past, present and likely future
comments -- has proven to be a very good and effective thing for
the NCSG Policy Committee. Coordinating the filing of comments
often requires some internal coordination - that does not need to
be on full lists and would crowd everyone's inbox.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>We needed a full and robust dialogue on this topic, Milton, and
it happened. Thanks to all who led, participated, shared, wrote,
edited, and thought deeply about this issue. In every way, NCSG
is showing is leadership.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Take the win, Milton. </p>
<p>Best, Kathy</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 11/19/2025 11:11 AM, Mueller, Milton
L wrote:<br>
</div>
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As an NCSG member I am still not sure whether the letter was
sent to the board, and helped to trigger ICANN's response. </div>
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I suspect ICANN staff knew of the dissatisfaction brewing in
NCSG and elsewhere over the SmartFarica/CAIGA proposal, but
there was no formal statement on the list that the letter had
been sent. In that regard, let me call attention to a process
problem within NCSG. </div>
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The only persons who opposed sending the letter, Kathy and
Emmanuel, stopped discussing the issue on this member list as
soon as it was clear that most of us, including our African
members, supported the letter. They moved their dialogue to the
Policy Committee (PC) list, which most of us cannot post to. </div>
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I view that as a questionable tactic, especially because Kathy
is actually not on the PC anymore. Indeed, I've discovered that
many people who have not been on the PC for years, are still on
that list. </div>
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I have never liked the creation of a separate PC list, though I
recognize the practical necessity for it. We need to have an
official forum to make policy decisions on behalf of the NCSG,
but we must also recognize that this separate, closed forum
creates an opportunity for strategic manipulation of the
discourse. </div>
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If we are going to have a formally designated PC with its own
list, it should be restricted to people who are currently on the
PC, and thus are formally accountable to the members. May I
formally request that the NCSG Executive Committee address this
issue?</div>
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<p
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<span
style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr.
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;">Carter
School of Public Policy</span></p>
<p
style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<a class="OWAAutoLink"
id="OWA5d082757-e98e-2f30-3e13-ae79bf704424"
href="https://internetgovernance.org"
title="https://internetgovernance.org"
style="text-decoration: none; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"
moz-do-not-send="true"><img id="x_x_x_image_0"
style="width: 287.595px; height: 71px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"
width="287" height="71" data-outlook-trace="F:1|T:1"
src="cid:part1.V1fsm7Cg.0J0GdA4d@dnrc.tech" class=""></a></p>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg">
<div
style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<b>From:</b> NCSG-Discuss
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU"><NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU></a> on behalf of Tomslin
Samme-Nlar <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:mesumbeslin@GMAIL.COM"><mesumbeslin@GMAIL.COM></a><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, November 17, 2025 9:20 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU">NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU"><NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU></a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: Is ICANN helping to subvert its own
governance model?</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"> </div>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">Hi Rafik, all,</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"><br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"><b>I fully support the letter to the
board</b>. As it states "Expedited timing is critical to
ensure that any ICANN-related engagement aligns with the
multistakeholder principles embedded in ICP-2". </div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"><br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">Having followed the work of Smart
Africa closely within ICANN, I have always held the view that
while their efforts might be providing the much needed support
AfriNIC needed to address the issue they were facing, the Smart
Africa approach was not consistent with Internet Governance
models we advocate for - which are
<b>bottom-up</b> <b>inclusiveness, openness</b> and <b>transparency</b>.
These questions we are asking now ensure that going forward, the
right approaches are used to achieve the right results. So, we
must ask these questions to the ICANN board and whoever else is
accountable.</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"><br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">Remain blessed,</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">Tomslin</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">On Mon, 17 Nov 2025 at 21:10,
Emmanuel Vitus <<a href="mailto:emmanuelvitus@gmail.com"
id="OWA9ecfa6ab-cb47-02ec-e4ec-feb38a07f60d"
class="OWAAutoLink moz-txt-link-freetext"
moz-do-not-send="true">emmanuelvitus@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div>
<blockquote
style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);">
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hmmm….
It is not hesitation but reflection. It is the kind of
moment anyone who has lived through the history of African
Internet governance will recognise. Those who witnessed the
creation of AfriNIC, the protracted 4-year crisis that
nearly fractured it, or the long political odyssey behind
the “dot africa” top level domain know that these debates
are never merely technical. They carry historical memory,
institutional fragility, and the ongoing struggle for
African agency within a global digital order that was not
built for us.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Professor
Milton’s article is, as always, rigorous and analytically
sharp. For many of us, he has long been a model of
principled thinking in global Internet governance. Yet on
this particular point, the framing requires a more
historically grounded African perspective.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">There
is a long-standing tendency to portray African states as
inherently unstable or structurally fragile. We saw this
again only weeks ago when Donald Trump, in his current
political capacity, declared Nigeria a “disgraced country”
and threatened to intervene “guns blazing” based on
unverified allegations. This rhetoric does not arise from
empirical depth; it emerges from narrative habits that
reduce African complexity to simplified explanations. It is
essential that we do not reproduce such patterns in our
internal governance debates.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Smart
Africa, which features prominently in this discussion, must
also be situated in its proper context. It has always
operated under African Union guidance and in several areas
it succeeded where the AU advanced slowly. Yes, Smart Africa
is close to governments and the private sector. Yes, it must
improve its engagement with civil society, academia and the
technical community. No, the model is not perfect. But
depicting Smart Africa as a covert instrument seeking to
capture AFRINIC or impose political control over a regional
technical institution misrepresents both its mandate and its
contributions.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I
should also clarify that I am not a “defender” of Smart
Africa, despite the interpretation suggested in the
article. I defend African initiatives that attempt, however
imperfectly, to advance African sovereignty and agency. When
Smart Africa errs, I criticise it privately and
<a
href="https://medium.com/@emmanuelvitus/after-years-of-paralysis-afrinic-must-prove-it-can-govern-itself-1b7d50bbd67c"
id="OWA4db9c6c4-bc5c-f08a-1aa5-665f63325a4d"
class="OWAAutoLink"
style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"
data-auth="NotApplicable" moz-do-not-send="true">
publicly.</a> When it succeeds, <a
href="https://medium.com/@emmanuelvitus/afrinic-hope-hijack-and-the-harsh-lessons-of-african-multistakeholderism-8e8378797101"
id="OWA6cc4c226-8fd6-f605-f9d4-1656de86a43c"
class="OWAAutoLink"
style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"
data-auth="NotApplicable" moz-do-not-send="true">
I acknowledge tha</a>t. As we often say in Africa, <i>only
a tree that bears fruit receives stones</i>. Smart Africa
receives stones precisely because it has stepped into a
space where Africa historically lacked institutional
visibility. Maybe this is my badge to carry as well: that by
being vocal, by standing for African agency, by refusing
narratives that diminish us, I inevitably place myself in
the line of fire. But perhaps that is precisely the role our
generation must accept. </span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Some
factual clarifications are necessary. ISPA is the Internet
Service Providers Association of South Africa. It is not,
and has never been, the Internet Service Providers
Association of Africa. AFRINIC covers 54 countries and more
than 2 300 members. To reduce the outcome of a continental
election to the influence of a single national association
is not only inaccurate; it erases the <a
href="https://smartafrica.org/press-release-community-endorsed-candidates-for-afrinic-board-elections-2025/"
id="OWAabeaf35c-da37-f7ad-0872-d51307675bb5"
class="OWAAutoLink"
style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"
data-auth="NotApplicable" moz-do-not-send="true">
collective effort behind the process led by Smart Africa</a>.
Colleagues from TESPOK in Kenya, TISPA in Tanzania, ISPA RDC
and many others would be astonished to see their extensive
consultations reduced to a single sister association. Even
ISPA’s own leadership knows how the continental slate
emerged: through negotiation, coordination and consensus
across the region.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Prof,
in that spirit, may I respectfully ask whether you had the
opportunity to speak with the ISPA leadership before drawing
this conclusion in the article? Their perspective would be
extremely valuable to this discussion.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">As
for the circulating claim that ICANN funded CAIGA or
empowered Smart Africa to redesign AFRINIC’s governance:
this is unsupported by any evidence. If ICANN’s legal
counsel were asked to evaluate it formally, they would
likely dismiss it immediately. The allegation collapses
under basic legal and factual scrutiny. I was present in
most of the rooms where these matters were discussed, most
of them publicly. I witnessed the interactions, the
boundaries and the institutional constraints. This narrative
does not correspond to reality.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">My
hope is that those familiar with AFRINIC’s internal dynamics
and with the African technical community will recognise the
gap between the narrative being circulated and what actually
occurred.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">For
colleagues who want deeper context,<a
href="https://medium.com/@emmanuelvitus/smart-africa-icann-caiga-afrinic-how-the-brouhaha-exposes-the-politics-of-african-digital-cf3ddc42beca"
id="OWA0377d7fc-29dd-c125-608c-79f75540ff82"
class="OWAAutoLink"
style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"
data-auth="NotApplicable" moz-do-not-send="true"> I invite
you to read my recent article</a>. It explains how this
narrative emerged, why it spread. More importantly, it
argues that African digital sovereignty will not be built on
suspicion or fragmentation.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Prof,
I genuinely appreciate your decision to remove the earlier
concluding paragraph. It reflects the intellectual humility
and integrity that many of us admire in your work.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Let
us continue this discussion with historical consciousness.
Africa has been misrepresented many times in global Internet
governance. We must avoid reproducing narratives that
diminish our agency or our capabilities.
<b>Africa is not a country.</b></span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span
style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Asante
sana! </span><span
style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: 9.75pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br>
Emmanuel</span></p>
<div><br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">Le dim. 16 nov. 2025 à 16:52,
Anriette Esterhuysen <<a href="mailto:anriette@apc.org"
id="OWA6c3506f8-952d-128b-26c3-8388be16aec1"
class="OWAAutoLink moz-txt-link-freetext"
moz-do-not-send="true">anriette@apc.org</a>> a écrit :</div>
<blockquote
style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);">
<p style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Oh.. and
thanks a lot for deleting the original last paragraph :)</p>
<pre><div>Anriette Esterhuysen - <a
href="mailto:anriette@apc.org//anriette@gmail.com"
id="OWA3d924201-2357-3662-de0d-68da77395b78"
class="OWAAutoLink moz-txt-link-freetext"
moz-do-not-send="true">anriette@apc.org//anriette@gmail.com</a></div></pre>
<div>On 2025/11/16 18:19, Mueller, Milton L wrote:</div>
<blockquote>
<div
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Anriette,</div>
<div
style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Thanks for your comments. I think your question about the
relationship between the African Union and Smart Africa
(SA) is an important one to pursue. It is relevant if SA
succeeds in establishing some kind of Council (CAIGA) that
has supervisory authority over AFRINIC. I think that is a
bad idea and I also think it is highly unlikely. But as a
partner of SA, ICANN needs to confront this question.</div>
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<div
style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
As for "generalizations about the region and its
governments," sorry if you read that into the article. No
such generalizations were intended. Your misinterpretation
shows that nationalism and identity politics are big
obstacles to clear thinking about Internet governance,
especially in this case. There is no statement anywhere in
that blog, or in anything I have ever written, that says
Africa is "inherently" unstable or undemocratic. Inherent
means "existing in something as a permanent, essential, or
characteristic attribute." No, the article merely calls
attention to the fact that many of its current governments
are undemocratic or unstable, which is a fact. Some
African governments are not unstable or undemocratic, and
there is certainly long term hope that stability and
liberal democracy will come to additional African states. </div>
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The point is, all these governments would be part of a
board that wants to govern AFRINIC. So what kind of
principles and policies would ensue? Geopolitics and
national interests are "inherent" features of
multilateral, government institutions. That is my
argument, and it applies to all regions, not just Africa.</div>
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The article advocates for <b>self-governance</b> of
AFRINIC by its <b>members, </b>
and opposes an overlay of state-directed control. This is
what we mean by "the multistakeholder model," is it not?
My rejection of state control and digital sovereignty
applies to the U.S. government, to European governments,
etc. Our current experience with the Trump administration
and its nationalistic, nativist, sovereigntist policies is
an excellent example of why I don't want states setting
policies for the global coordination of Internet
identifiers. It also explains why I was and remain a big
advocate of eliminating U.S. control of ICANN during the
2014-2016 transition. I think I have been perfectly
consistent about this. </div>
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<div
id="x_m_5687377668441545337m_-2380352191288868954Signature">
<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.
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;">Carter
School of Public Policy</span></p>
<p
style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<a href="https://internetgovernance.org"
id="OWAe1b509ea-51b5-067f-17d1-9f3ff228666f"
class="OWAAutoLink"
title="https://internetgovernance.org"
style="text-decoration: none; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"
data-auth="NotApplicable" moz-do-not-send="true"><img
size="6974"
id="x_m_5687377668441545337m_-2380352191288868954x_x_x_image_0"
style="width: 287.595px; height: 71px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"
width="287" height="71" data-outlook-trace="F:1|T:1"
src="cid:part2.qO4KLodO.w60TANY0@dnrc.tech" class=""></a></p>
<p
style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</p>
</div>
<div
style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<hr style="display: inline-block; width: 98%;">
<div
id="x_m_5687377668441545337m_-2380352191288868954divRplyFwdMsg">
<div
style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<b>From:</b> Anriette Esterhuysen <a
href="mailto:anriette@apc.org"
id="OWA8af1bc7d-4015-a413-f0a9-449799d9499d"
class="OWAAutoLink" moz-do-not-send="true">
<anriette@apc.org></a><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, November 16, 2025 10:44 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Mueller, Milton L <a
href="mailto:milton@GATECH.EDU"
id="OWAbd102f2e-de74-6878-35df-5699afc3ab54"
class="OWAAutoLink" moz-do-not-send="true">
<milton@GATECH.EDU></a>; <a
href="mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU"
id="OWAd6e67fd7-e3c8-5bbc-e9e1-dfd5ea6ea4d3"
class="OWAAutoLink moz-txt-link-freetext"
moz-do-not-send="true">
NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU</a> <a
href="mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU"
id="OWA1be6f02a-bc3b-0812-c8ab-8405b719fd34"
class="OWAAutoLink" moz-do-not-send="true">
<NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU></a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: Is ICANN helping to subvert its own
governance model?</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"> </div>
</div>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Dear Milton</p>
<div><br>
</div>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">For example,
does the MOU between Smart Africa and the African Union
Commission include commitment to comply with the
<a
href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/42078-doc-DATA-POLICY-FRAMEWORKS-2024-ENG-V2.pdf"
id="OWA45134133-6f46-3515-f1e1-d281069c9e46"
class="OWAAutoLink"
style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"
data-auth="NotApplicable" moz-do-not-send="true">
AU's Data Policy Framework</a>, and the <a
href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/newsevents/workingdocuments/33025-wd-african_declaration_on_internet_governance_en_0.pdf"
id="OWA97f0ba65-0289-9741-5d69-a4707fe166ff"
class="OWAAutoLink"
style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"
data-auth="NotApplicable" moz-do-not-send="true">
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 African Commission on Human and People's Rights
Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression. 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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Thanks</p>
<div><br>
</div>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Anriette</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><br>
</p>
<div><br>
</div>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><br>
</p>
<pre><div>Anriette Esterhuysen - <a
href="mailto:anriette@apc.org//anriette@gmail.com"
id="OWAf7b7d7a9-0e25-0a36-08c2-b4f69c672fd4"
class="OWAAutoLink moz-txt-link-freetext"
moz-do-not-send="true">anriette@apc.org//anriette@gmail.com</a></div></pre>
<div>On 2025/11/14 17:50, Mueller, Milton L wrote:</div>
<blockquote>
<div
style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
I support the letter 100%</div>
<div
style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<hr style="display: inline-block; width: 98%;">
<div
id="x_m_5687377668441545337m_-2380352191288868954x_divRplyFwdMsg">
<div
style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<b>From:</b> Rafik Dammak <a
href="mailto:rafik.dammak@gmail.com"
id="OWAfa55dabf-1a77-ad7c-86c7-8ec45c40958c"
class="OWAAutoLink" moz-do-not-send="true">
<rafik.dammak@gmail.com></a><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, November 14, 2025 1:55 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> NCSG <a
href="mailto:ncsg-discuss@listserv.syr.edu"
id="OWA9edb3db4-7dc6-ff99-8596-3f92a0966820"
class="OWAAutoLink" moz-do-not-send="true">
<ncsg-discuss@listserv.syr.edu></a>; ncsg-pc <a
href="mailto:ncsg-pc@lists.ncsg.is"
id="OWA5cc3f0b4-08d9-597a-c3bc-011c3c3dd6f5"
class="OWAAutoLink" moz-do-not-send="true">
<ncsg-pc@lists.ncsg.is></a><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Mueller, Milton L <a
href="mailto:milton@gatech.edu"
id="OWA9bc7a71d-657e-6627-64ab-155c13e3dc78"
class="OWAAutoLink" moz-do-not-send="true">
<milton@gatech.edu></a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [NCSG-Discuss] Is ICANN helping to
subvert its own governance model?</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"> </div>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">hi all,</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"><br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">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"
id="OWAb6ae797a-671a-1364-49c6-349c3f7061fa"
class="OWAAutoLink moz-txt-link-freetext"
data-auth="NotApplicable" moz-do-not-send="true">
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CPgRLILaCtsda8YRA4mUtElLXYS6udjF8cHvTo2AXHI/edit?tab=t.0</a> .</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">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 style="direction: ltr;"><br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">Best,</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"><br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">Rafik</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"><br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">Le jeu. 13 nov. 2025 à 23:08,
Mueller, Milton L <<a
href="mailto:00001d75540da649-dmarc-request@listserv.syr.edu"
id="OWAccce6fe4-d8e8-db55-245e-be8bd8824be1"
class="OWAAutoLink moz-txt-link-freetext"
moz-do-not-send="true">00001d75540da649-dmarc-request@listserv.syr.edu</a>>
a écrit :</div>
<blockquote
style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);">
<div
style="direction: ltr; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div
style="direction: ltr; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
> I want to urge NCSG members that as we ask for
more information, we do so without undermining
AfriNIC's new board </div>
<div
style="direction: ltr; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
> and the efforts of this board and those working
with it to stabilise AfriNIC. They need our support.</div>
<div
style="direction: ltr; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div
style="direction: ltr; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
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>
<div
style="direction: ltr; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div
id="x_m_5687377668441545337m_-2380352191288868954x_x_m_-1162883159886474037Signature">
<div
style="direction: ltr; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
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<p
style="direction: ltr; 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="direction: ltr; 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="direction: ltr; 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="direction: ltr; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<a href="https://internetgovernance.org"
id="OWAdcf80f02-7138-fca0-0c07-e06c499a3b99"
class="OWAAutoLink"
title="https://internetgovernance.org"
style="text-decoration: none; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"
data-auth="NotApplicable" moz-do-not-send="true"><img
size="6974"
id="x_m_5687377668441545337m_-2380352191288868954x_x_m_-1162883159886474037image_0"
style="width: 320px; height: 79px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"
width="320" height="79"
data-outlook-trace="F:1|T:1"
src="cid:part3.Ahodlr0Q.TU9gr1rG@dnrc.tech"
class=""></a></p>
<p
style="direction: ltr; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</p>
</div>
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style="direction: ltr; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
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</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Kathy Kleiman
Past President, Domain Name Rights Coalition</pre>
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