Dear Colleagues,
I hope you are keeping well. Please find below updates detailing AFRINIC activities in March 2021.
Community Consultative webinar
I would like to thank our community members who attended the “Public Persecution vs. Constructive Criticism on AFRINIC Mailing lists” Community Consultative Webinar. We had a total of 68 participants in the webinar. The AFRINIC mailing list is an essential avenue for policy building and continuous dialogue - our community’s heartbeat, where we engage in open, respectful discussions, on matters of importance to the African Internet community. From this webinar, we understood your perspective and we now pave the way for other such-like webinars where we listen to the views of our community.
This webinar showed the sense of goodwill from our community, the desire for teamwork in our community, and the trust you have for AFRINIC. I wish to assure our community that we will make sure to address the concerns raised in the shortest time possible to see us get to a point where it is safe to contribute to discussions on the mailing list. We want to ensure that we create an environment that is conducive enough and helpful for everyone to participate freely and where people are safe to contribute. An executive summary for the webinar has been published.
AIS’21 Online
The African Internet Summit (AIS’21) Online / AFRINIC 33 will take place on 31st May- 4th June 2021. Registration for this meeting is now open, and delegates are requested to register before 21st May 2021.
The virtual session will follow the tentative program below:
- 31 May 2021 - AfNOG Technical Session
- 1 June 2021 - Af* Meeting
- 2-3 June 2021 - AFRINIC-33 Public Policy Meeting
- 4 June 2021 - Annual General Members Meeting (AGMM).
Updates on the Mailing list clean up Exercise
To safeguard the community from being subject to inappropriate behaviours, we have developed mechanisms to verify and authenticate the mailing lists’ users. The terms of use are now approved and we are working on its implementation starting with the community-discuss mailing list
AFRINIC Office Closure
There has been another wave of COVID-19 infections in Mauritius. The Mauritian authorities have announced a countrywide lockdown in the next two weeks. For our staff’s safety and to comply with the government directives, the AFRINIC office will remain closed for any walk-in services during this time. We have put in place measures to ensure that all our services are available, albeit online and the AFRINIC Team is in a position to provide services.
Appreciation to all Volunteers in the African Internet Community
Our community is backed up by men and women who have given their time and even expertise towards various projects and in different groups and I would not end this update without appreciating our community members who double up as volunteers engaging in discussions on the mailing lists. Moreover, they take time out of their busy schedules to participate in consultative sessions whenever they are called upon. I think it is only fair that I acknowledge these groups: The Board Members, the members of all working groups and our volunteer translators. Thank you for your service.
I wish you well as we pursue our common goals and aspirations.
Thank You.
Kind Regards,
Eddy Kayihura,
Chief Executive Officer,
African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC)