[Ncsg-discuss] Is ICANN helping to subvert its own governance model?

[Emmanuel Vitus]

Prof, It is false to say that I moved this discussion to the Policy
Committee list. I have not posted on that list for months, and certainly
nothing related to this matter. I am still on the PC list because I
completed two terms as NPOC Policy Chair and handed over only a few weeks
ago. That is the only reason I remain subscribed. There has been no
parallel conversation, no shift of debate (...). Since this is a public
list, *I ask you to withdraw that allegation.*

It is unfortunate that this rumour and the whole brouhaha originates from *Amin
Dayekh*, who has been spreading misinformation and attacking community
members for weeks. I invite you to look at his LinkedIn feed yourself
<https://www.linkedin.com/in/amin-dayekh-7408469b/>. He has even published
what he claims are private exchanges involving the ICANN CEO, and he has
been bombarding Board members long before Alice brought these narratives
into her article. His behaviour is below the belt and should not be allowed
to distort serious discussions or damage reputations.

I have engaged here in good faith and in the open. I simply ask for the
same level of respect and accuracy.

Best,

Emmanuel

Le mer. 19 nov. 2025 à 16:57, Mueller, Milton L <milton at gatech.edu> a
écrit :

> I think the ICANN CEO's letter (as Farzaneh said) raises as many questions
> as it answers, but overall it is good news.
>
> Good because ICANN is explicitly backing away from the CAIGA model for
> AFRINIC. The CEO blog says "ICANN’s funding of the IG Blueprint development
> did not include any directive to cover AFRINIC governance, modify AFRINIC,
> or envision a different RIR structure to serve the region." It also says
> that "In response to common requests from governments and Smart Africa in
> discussions related to CAIGA, ICANN has continuously reiterated that the
> Internet Coordination Policy-2 (ICP-2) and the requirements under it,
> remain the governance mechanism for any RIR."
>
> ICANN's backing away is, in my opinion, a bit disingenuous; saying that
> ICANN's support for SA had nothing to do with AFRINIC or its governance
> seems not very plausible given the whole array of facts, but now that ICANN
> and most of the community have disassociated themselves from a model in
> which CAIGA would establish some form of state-led political oversight over
> AFRINIC, there is little to be gained by fussing over this.
>
> I also think it is not so productive to fuss over how inclusive or
> exclusive SA was at this point. There are Africans who feel that it was a
> power grab and as Emmanuel documents there is plenty of evidence of
> widespread consultations. There is nothing inherently wrong with
> coordinated continent-wide efforts to discuss IG, as long as we are mindful
> of the decades-long efforts by states and intergovernmental institutions to
> control or assert "political oversight" over the native internet governance
> institutions, and the need to resist them.
>
> Now that everyone involved is recognizing that the authority to reform
> rests with AFRINIC members, what matters is developing a viable reform plan
> within AFRINIC and executing it. AFRINIC is not out of the woods yet. Some
> difficult issues about its ongoing management, its place of incorporation
> and its insulation from crippling forms of litigation remain.
>
> --MM
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* NCSG-Discuss <NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> on behalf of
> Emmanuel Vitus <emmanuelvitus at GMAIL.COM>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, November 19, 2025 6:51 AM
> *To:* NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU <NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
> *Subject:* Re: Is ICANN helping to subvert its own governance model?
>
>
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ncsg.is/pipermail/ncsg-discuss/attachments/20251119/eac3cad4/attachment.htm>