The future of the Internet in Africa is being shepherded by the pioneers and visionaries who grab opportunity and mold it into reality. It is crafted by those with the desire to shape the continent for the better and see their ideals come to life. It is these luminaries, some well-known and some not, that have allowed for the Internet to grow so vibrantly throughout Africa.
During the recent ICANN meeting in Durban, South Africa, the Africa Top Level Domain name Association (AFTLD), the Internet Society , the DNS community and ICANN came together to honor outstanding African registrars and registries during the first African DNS Industry Award ceremony. These organizations are exemplars of their class and leaders within their community. The Africa Domain Name Industry Award is part of the Africa strategy being rolled out by ICANN in Africa.
The winners of this year’s award went to Kheweul, a Senegal-based registrar, and .Zadna, registry for South Africa’s .za ccTLD. The two winners set the standard for what it means to be a model business within the DNS industry.
Kheweul and .Zadna both demonstrate how enterprises in this industry can provide excellent service and leadership, but they are not alone in doing so. The ten organizations nominated for this award are all examples of what it takes to excel. Aspiring community members can look to them for guidance and leadership as they strive to grow within the industry.
As the Internet continues to develop across the Continent, it is my hope that these nominees will continue to lead the way. It is their hard work and determination to conquer adversity that allows the Internet to not only expand, but prosper.
I extend my deepest congratulations to both the winners and nominees of this year’s Africa Domain Name Industry Award. I would also like to thank all of those who contributed to making this a possibility, including the Awards Committee, ISOC and my ICANN colleagues.
For more photos of the ceremony, please visit
http://www.flickr.com/photos/icann/sets/72157634647588457/
