Candidate Statement =?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=93_?=Emmanuel Vitus for GNSO Council (NCSG)

[Emmanuel Vitus]

*Candidate Statement – Emmanuel Vitus for GNSO Council (NCSG)*



Dear colleagues,

People often ask, “Who the heck is this Emmanuel Vitus?”



Fair enough. You’ve probably seen my name pop up on mailing lists, in
working groups, or silently observing Council meetings. Yes, I am an
observer of the council and its list. I’ve spent the last few years doing
just that: listening, learning, figuring out how decisions move in our
community. Now, I’m ready to serve.

I split my professional life between Lyon, France, where my family resides,
and Lomé, Togo, where I am deeply involved in digital policy work. My core
activities (research, advocacy, and consultancy) are primarily carried out
across the African continent.

As an Internet policy researcher and consultant, I focus on freedom of the
press, digital rights & privacy, and emerging technologies. I previously
worked for years in the Netherlands, supporting the relocation of
journalists at risk from the Global South. Over the past year, I have been
largely based in Africa, collaborating with civil society organizations
(CSOs), think tanks, regional institutions, and Regional Economic
Communities (RECs) on AI governance, national digital strategies, and
regulatory frameworks. I also manage a Community of Practice (CoP) that
brings together stakeholders from across one of the RECs to share
knowledge, coordinate efforts, and strengthen regional dialogues.


For the purposes of this election, I formally declare Africa as my ICANN
geographic region and to the best of my knowledge, I have no conflicts of
interest that would prevent me from contributing effectively to the GNSO
Council.

Why me?

I joined ICANN nearly a decade ago and have served in various capacities
since then. In recent years, I represented the Non-Commercial Stakeholder
Group (NCSG) in the recently concluded Expedited Policy Development Process
(EPDP) on Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), Phases 1 and 2,
contributing actively to the process for over 13 months. I participated
actively in drafting group recommendations and defending our positions
during long, technical meetings.

Last year, I submitted public comments on the EPDP Phase 2 report, the Next
Round Applicant Guidebook, and the Registry Service Provider Handbook. I
also co-facilitated two NCSG issue forums at ICANN81 in Istanbul and
ICANN82 in Seattle focused on the next round of gTLDs and the Applicant
Support Program and I am currently a member of the Latin Script/Diacritics
Working Group where i represent the NCSG.

As Policy Chair of NPOC, I’ve been deeply involved in policy work daily and
most of the public comments. But the idea here is not to list tasks or take
credit for what has been a collective effort. It wouldn’t be fair to
present what has become part of my regular responsibilities as campaign
achievements. What matters most to me is continuing to serve with
consistency, openness, and a sense of duty, whether in formal roles or
informal support.



Within ICANN, I’ve served two terms as NPOC Secretariat, one as
Communications Chair, and now a second term as Policy Chair.  I completed
both rounds of the ICANN Policy Transition Program Pilot as a pioneer
fellow and the ICANN Leadership Program in Cancun. Aside from practical
experience, these are some of the most formal training opportunities
available to prepare someone to serve as a Councilor, and I was fortunate
to go through them.

Outside of ICANN, I am the Coordinator of the Secretariat of the West
Africa Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) and the West Africa School on
Internet Governance (WASIG), through which we have trained over 1,600
alumni to date. Most recently, I helped facilitate a new track that brought
together parliamentarians from across the region during the annual forum,
in collaboration with regional stakeholders including AFRINIC, ICANN,
national governments, and civil society actors.

In Togo, I’ve led the national IGF since 2016 and currently serve as
President of the board of Trustees  of the internet Society Togo chapter.
Under my leadership, we established the country’s first IXP, supported
digital rights reforms and advised on several laws, and are currently
launching a community network that will connect 2,000 people in unconnected
rural communities.

Last month, I spent my holidays organizing a one-day Universal Acceptance
(UA) training in Togo. This wasn’t a high-level panel with badges and
backdrop, it was grassroots. We trained over 840 engineers, developers, and
students in one day. It became the largest single-day UA training globally,
even surpassing the attendance of most official ICANN UA sessions. Many of
the participants had never heard of UA, never had the chance to attend an
ICANN meeting, or fully understand the languages often used in our
processes. I did it to bring ICANN home, to those who rarely get the
invitation. That’s the kind of work I believe Councilors should also help
champion.



My humble background includes a bachelor degree in Banking and Finance from
IAEC University in Lomé (Togo), a Master’s in Journalism and Communication
from Centrale University in Tunis (Tunisia), a Bachelor’s with Honours in
Information Systems and Management from the University of Central
Lancashire in the UK, and a Master’s in Contemporary Diplomacy from the
University of Malta, where my research, under the supervision of Prof.
Jovan Kurbalija, explored the intersection of African philosophy,
particularly Ubuntu and Artificial Intelligence.

The journey toward a PhD in digital policy has already begun. Like many who
walk this path without guarantees or academic privilege, I carry doubts
about the framing, the direction, and how to balance research with the
practical needs of the communities I care about.  I have been fortunate
with over 18 fellowships within the ecosystem including the prestigious
google policy fellowship, ICANN fellowships and many others.



What do I bring as a councilor?



   1.

   Scale up mentorship into a policy track

I’ve been inspired by the quiet but powerful mentoring done by Kathy
Kleiman to me and Stephanie to others. Days before ICANN 80, Kathy hosted a
policy prep session in Kigali that helped many of us understand the History
of the NCSG, structure and stakes of the work ahead. I want to support her
and scale this into a formal NCSG Policy Mentorship Trac, offering
onboarding, peer support, and real-time help for those entering working
groups and drafting teams.



   2.

   Democratize the role of Councilor

Too many members see Council work as distant or inaccessible. I want to
help change that by making the role transparent and approachable. On this
front, I want to congratulate Farzi, who is doing excellent work reporting
back to the NCSG community. I fully support that model and will commit to
doing the same: sharing plain-language updates, hosting regular check-ins,
and encouraging others to shadow Council activity.



   3.

   Create a rapid response comment team

We need a small, responsive team to coordinate public comments quickly and
clearly, especially when timelines are tight for the PC members. This will
keep our voice consistent and visible in key policy debates.

   4.

   Build a participation dashboard

A simple tool to map engagement across policy workstreams can help us
recognize contributors, spot gaps, and match mentorship or support where
it’s needed most, ensuring no one is left out or overwhelmed.



   5.

   Raise Your Hand, Not Your Jargon" – A Community Signal Wall

Let’s be honest, ICANN-speak can be intimidating. Too many brilliant minds
stay silent because they’re unsure how to phrase a question or afraid they
don’t “sound policy enough.” We’re over 700 members in NCSG, yet only a
handful regularly speak up. That’s not because others don’t care, it’s
because the space often feels like it’s not made for them. It’s time we
break that silence with something simple and human. I propose we
create a "Community
Signal Wall" , a shared space where anyone in NCSG can raise a concern,
flag an issue, ask a question, or share a link. No need to master acronyms.
No need to “sound like a Councilor.” Just a place where people can post
under their first name if they want, say “I don’t understand this,” or
“these matters where I live” with no fear of breaking protocol or being
reported to the Ombudsman. Let’s build a culture where trying is welcome,
and speaking up feels safe.



Give me the chance to try it on my own. I don’t have all the answers (and
probably never will), but I’ll show up, ask the right questions for you,
and stay grounded in the values that matter to us as non-commercials. If
you're open to giving someone like me, a bit unconventional, but deeply
committed, a chance, I’d be honored to have your vote. It would truly be an
honor to serve you as a Councilor.

Let’s see what a little fresh air can do!
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