Joint Statement
The AFRINIC Board of Directors and the Receiver, Mr. Gowtamsingh Dabee, wish to inform all AFRINIC Resource Members and the AFRINIC Internet Community that both parties are working in close collaboration to fulfil AFRINIC’s obligations to its members, employees, and stakeholders, as well as to the broader regional and international Internet community.
On 08 October 2025, the Receiver filed his report titled “Application for Termination of Receivership” before the Supreme Court (Bankruptcy Division) of Mauritius, thereby initiating the process for his formal release. A decision of the Honourable Court is currently awaited.
The Board extends its sincere appreciation to Mr. Dabee for his dedication and invaluable efforts in guiding AFRINIC to this significant stage, one where a Board of Directors is now in place.
The Board notes that certain legal proceedings initiated against AFRINIC, both prior to and following the recent elections, remain ongoing. The Board will work towards a quick resolution of these matters, thereby enabling AFRINIC to resume full and normal operations. Until the Receiver’s formal discharge by the Honourable Court, Mr. Dabee has graciously agreed to continue supporting AFRINIC in implementing the necessary steps following the appointment of Directors.
AFRINIC Staff and Leadership Transition
The Board and the Receiver wish to commend the AFRINIC staff for their dedication, professionalism, and resilience in maintaining operations under unprecedented circumstances, including functioning without a Chief Executive Officer for nearly three years.
We reaffirm our commitment to supporting, protecting, and recognising staff for their service. Both the Board and the Receiver are working closely to identify short- and long-term solutions for the recruitment of a new Chief Executive Officer at the earliest possible opportunity.
Membership and IP Resources
The Board is currently reviewing matters related to IP resource allocations and the rights of all Resource Members who have joined AFRINIC since June 2022. This matter, being the subject of ongoing court proceedings, is receiving careful legal consideration.
The Board also reiterates its commitment to the integrity of AFRINIC’s WHOIS database and the protection of members’ IP resource rights.
Board Committees
Recognising the substantial volume of work ahead, the following sub-committees of the Board have been constituted to strengthen governance and assist in its functions:
• Finance Committee – chaired by Ms. Carla Sanderson
• Audit Committee – chaired by Dr. Fiona Asonga
• Remuneration Committee – chaired by Mr. Laurent Ntumba
• Legal Committee – chaired by Mr. Ben Roberts
These committees will review the work that has been paused since 2022 and realign AFRINIC’s governance as the organisation enters 2026. The newly constituted Legal Committee has been mandated to take stock of all ongoing legal cases involving AFRINIC, with the objective of optimising legal resources and ensuring that AFRINIC maintains an appropriate and coherent legal strategy moving forward.
Appointment of Auditor and Financial Reports
In accordance with AFRINIC’s statutory obligations, the Receiver has appointed Forvis Mazars, a licensed firm by the Mauritius Financial Reporting Council (FRC), as external auditor to conduct financial audits for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024.
This appointment was made under exceptional circumstances, in the absence of an Annual General Members’ Meeting (AGMM), to respond to stakeholder requests for audited financial statements and to ensure the continuity of AFRINIC’s operations.
Preliminary assessments indicate that significant work remains to be completed. The audit exercises are ongoing and are expected to be finalised shortly. The audit partners are currently reviewing the audit files.
The Board is reviewing the financial reports for 2022–2024, which will be published online once approved. A summary of the audited reports will also be made available on the AFRINIC website to ensure transparency and accountability.
Special General Members’ Meeting
The Board recognises the need to convene a Special General Members’ Meeting (SGMM) to present the company’s 2021 audited financial statements.
Members will recall that during the last AGMM in 2022, the resolution to adopt the Audited Financial Statement for the year ended 31 December 2021 was not approved, and consequently, the Companies Act requires that where “the financial statements are not approved at the annual meeting, they shall be presented at a further special meeting called by the Board”.
The Board is reviewing the appropriate course of action and will shortly revert to the membership with the proposed way forward.
Legal Matters and Investigations
The Legal Committee is reviewing information concerning the alleged use of fraudulent Power of Attorney (PoA) or “Power to Vote” documents during the aborted June 2025 elections.
These documents are reportedly with the relevant investigatory authorities in Mauritius. The Board will update members once preliminary investigations are completed, and a comprehensive update will follow upon the Committee’s review of all ongoing litigations and related legal matters.
Policy Development and Community Representation
The Board recognises the importance of relaunching the Policy Development Process (PDP) as a core mechanism of the bottom-up governance model and as a requirement under the ICP-2 framework.
In this regard, the Board will soon reopen PDP discussions, issue a call for Policy Development Working Group (PDWG) Co-Chairs, and invite the submission or resubmission of policy proposals for community review.
A key prerequisite will be to ensure that all community mailing lists maintain an atmosphere of civility and constructive engagement.
Additionally, the Board is taking steps to reconstitute key community structures, including the African representatives to the NRO NC / ASO AC, to ensure full and balanced regional representation in the global Internet ecosystem.
Governance Committee
The Board has taken note that the mandate of the members of the previous Governance Committee (GovCom) has ended. The Board is reviewing its composition and mandate to ensure alignment with AFRINIC’s current governance priorities.
Suggestions received from members have been noted, and further updates on the reconstitution of the Committee will be communicated in due course.
Bylaws Review and Institutional Reform
In light of the circumstances that led to AFRINIC’s recent challenges, the Board recognises the urgent need for a comprehensive review of the Bylaws and institutional reform to strengthen governance and ensure AFRINIC’s long-term sustainability.
A call for volunteers to participate in this critical reform exercise will be issued in due course. The Board invites all Resource Members and community stakeholders to actively participate in rebuilding AFRINIC.
Conclusion
The AFRINIC Board of Directors and the Receiver reaffirm their joint commitment to rebuilding trust, restoring stability, and re-establishing AFRINIC’s reputation and legitimacy as a key actor in the global Internet ecosystem.
We will continue to engage with multistakeholder organisations that have supported AFRINIC through these challenging years, including ICANN, ISOC, the NRO, local authorities, and other regional and international partners, as collaboration remains vital to the strength of the Regional Internet Registry system.
The Board is also committed to deepening engagement with its membership, consistent with the bottom-up model. To this end, regular Board-Community Engagement Sessions will be introduced, both online and in person, to listen to members’ views and gather feedback on the way forward.
AFRINIC Board of Directors and The Receiver
