AfICTA Statement on the Proposed Transfer of the IANA function by NTIA
20.03.2014
AfICTA - the Africa Information and Communication Technology Alliance, notes the announcement by the United States’ National Telecommunication and Information Agency (NTIA) of the Department of Commerce regarding its role related to the Internet IANA function and calling for a process of engagement by the global multi-stakeholder community by 2015.
AfICTA is a private sector member of the global multistakeholder community, representing the interests of the ICT sector in Africa; our members will actively participate in the processes leading to a responsible, accountable transition toward actualization of the NTIA announcement.
Africa is the world's second largest continent, and the Internet and online services are vitally important to the socio-economic development of Africa. With African businesses and socio-economic development being increasingly tied to the Internet, the need for a single, robust, stable, secure and trusted internet cannot be over-emphasized.
As the dialogue among stakeholders therefore intensifies in the coming months, great effort on the replacement of the NTIA role should be focused on an Internet that remains accessible, unified, stable, secure and trust-worthy. Whatever solution that will evolve should be balanced and unamenable to takeover by any political or economic interest. It should also be such that it operates under the highest environment of respect for the rule of law.
Finally, the potential new oversight regime should have inherent features that would enable it to surpass the stewardship of the regime it is to replace. AfICTA’s members look forward to continuing our contribution to a transition that reflects bottom up, multi-stakeholder participation and full engagement.
