Africa DNS Award
There are 54 ccTLD registries operating name spaces of African countries and new gTLD registry applications to ICANN from African companies. There are additionally 5 ICANN accredited Registrars operating in Africa and the growth of DNS business in Africa is anticipated.
These Registries and Registrars have varied accomplishments and have been faced with a variety of technical, policy and business challenges. While the bottom up coordination groups for ccTLD Registries, AfTLD, and Registrars AfRegistrars are developing their communities and common best practices, ICANN Africa would like to recognize the businesses that are making advances with appropriate honors. The award will identify leaders of DNS industry and contribute to reinforcing best industry practices of the community in the process
ICANN Africa, in partnership with the AfTLD and ISOC Africa has established an award committee to initiate the award program for registries and registrars in Africa and to define an annual program for the DNS industry
The award committee is made up of 7 professionals with knowledge in the registry registrar industry. Two members of the committee are appointed by ICANN Africa while the other 3 are appointed by ISOC, AfTLD, AfRegistrar communities, one from GAC Africa and one from the Global DNS industry. Members of the award committee may not be nominated for these awards during their term
The Award committee is to develop a framework for making annual awards for best Registry and Registrar in Africa and to organize the first of the annual awards. The framework will include the nature of award, it’s branding, type of awards, criteria, process for nominating candidates
Elements of Framework
The award is recognition for contribution to the development of the DNS Industry in Africa. The award is a DNS Industry award sponsored by ICANN and ISOC. The brand is “The Africa DNS Industry Award”
The nature of the award is a token gift and an accompanying cash price of $5,000.00
There would be two types of awards, one each for Registries and Registrars in the DNS industry
Some criteria for identifying deserving honorees include size of name space, growth of name space, performance, reliability, security and other services including hosting and payments.
1st Event in Durban
The first Award event winners were announced during the ICANN 47 meeting in Durban. Nii Quaynor, President of the selection committee presented the two categories of competitors (Registries and Registrars) before the announcement of the results.
For the Registries, .ZA won the first prize and .TZ the second
For Registrars, Kheweul from Senegal, which is the first operational registrar in Africa won the first prize and Diamatrix from South Africa got the second prize. The prizes were handed to the winners by Steve Crocker Chair of ICANN Board and Walda representing ISOC
The call for the next event will be announce in 2014.
