Communiqué from Carthage meeting

World Wide Alliance of Top Level Domain-names

Communiqué from Carthage meeting

Communiqués

Report of the ccNSO Launching Group

Carthage, Tunisia - 30 October 2003

The ccNSO by-laws (http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#IX) were adopted at the ICANN meeting in Montreal.

The ccNSO is the policy development body for a narrow range of global ccTLD issues within the ICANN structure. It is responsible for:

. Developing and recommending to the Board global policies relating to countrycode top-level domains;
. Nurturing consensus across the ccNSO's community, including the name-related activities of ccTLDs; and
. Coordinating with other ICANN Supporting Organizations, committees, and constituencies under ICANN.

The ccNSO may also engage in other activities authorized by its members including:

. developing voluntary best practices for ccTLD managers;
. assisting in skills building within the global community of ccTLD managers; and
. enhancing operational and technical cooperation among ccTLD managers.

In Montreal, the Board requested the nine ccTLD members of the ccNSO Assistance Group to call for an additional six members to join with them to form a launching group for the ccNSO (the Launching Group)

The Launching Group is authorized to solicit additional ccTLD managers to join the ccNSO, and to establish a schedule and procedures for the selection of the initial ccNSO Council.

On the 7th July 2003 a call was made for expressions of interest in joining the Launching Group. Following the response to the call, the Launching Group was constituted with the following members:-

Dotty de Blanc (.vi)
Bart Boswinkel (.nl)
Peter Dengate Thrush (.nz)
Chris Disspain (.au)
Demi Getschko (.br)
Olivier Guillard (.fr)
Alf Hansen (.no)
Hiro Hotta (.jp)
Yann Kwok (.mu)
Jeff Neuman (.us)
Paulos B Nyirenda (.mw)
Pierre Ouedraogo (.bf)
Patricio Poblete (.cl)
Oscar Robles (.mx)
Bernard Turcotte (.ca)

The first meeting of the Launching Group was held on 13 August 2003 and there have been a total of 8 meetings to date. Minutes of the meetings are posted on the ccNSO web pages (http://ccnso.icann.org/minutes/).

The Launching Group has published a brief paper on the ccNSO together with an application form for membership (see http://ccnso.icann.org).

To date the Launching Group has received 48 applications for membership. We have approved 30 applications. Of these;

10 are from the African region
9 are from the Latin American region
5 are from the Asia Pacific region
3 are from the North American region and
1 is from the European region

There are currently 2 new applications on which we are awaiting more information and there are a number of pending applications that we have not approved for a variety of reasons. In these cases we have written to the applicant explaining the difficulties with the application and suggested that they re-apply.

We have written to every ccTLD manager informing them about the ccNSO and encouraging them to consider joining.

A members email list has now been established.

On 28 October 2003 in Carthage the Launching Group hosted the first ccNSO members meeting. This meeting began the process of discussing the election that will need to be held for members of the ccNSO Council. Input was received from those present and a paper on possible election processes and methods will shortly be sent to members for further debate and consideration.

The meeting also considered some possible clarifications to the by-law to ensure that they accurately reflect the agreements and understandings reached in Montreal. This matter is still being discussed by ccNSO members and the ccTLD community generally and suggestions will be provided to the ICANN Board as soon as possible.