Changes

| linkedin        = [http://www.linkedin.com/company/african-top-level-domains-aftld- AfTLD]

| linkedin        = [http://www.linkedin.com/company/african-top-level-domains-aftld- AfTLD]

| twitter        =  

| twitter        =  

| keypeople      = [[Vika Mpisane]], Chairman/President<br/>

| keypeople      = [[Dr. Alex Corenthin]], Chairman/President<br/>

[[Mohamed El Bashir]], Director of Communications & Outreach<br/>

[[Mohamed El Bashir]], Director of Communications & Outreach<br/>

[[Vincent Ngundi]], Director of Capacity Building<br/>

[[Vincent Ngundi]], Director of Capacity Building<br/>

'''AfTLD''' ('''African Top Level Domain''') is a non-profit organization composed of registry operators in Africa. It was incorporated as a Mauritius non-profit organization on 19 December 2002.<ref>[http://www.aftld.org/html/english/about_AFTLD.html About AFTLD]</ref> It is a forum for African [[TLD]] managers to address and discuss issues and policies that have a global impact. It represents African [[ccTLD]]s on an international platform as one coherent voice. AfTLD was formed to have an influential global position in the ccTLD sector and to effectively represent African registries to various international parties.  

'''AfTLD''' ('''African Top Level Domain''') is a non-profit organization composed of registry operators in Africa. It was incorporated as a Mauritius non-profit organization on 19 December 2002.<ref>[http://www.aftld.org/html/english/about_AFTLD.html About AFTLD]</ref> It is a forum for African [[TLD]] managers to address and discuss issues and policies that have a global impact. It represents African [[ccTLD]]s on an international platform as one coherent voice. AfTLD was formed to have an influential global position in the ccTLD sector and to effectively represent African registries to various international parties.  

AfTLD was started as a project to share information and focus on united actions and issues which are similar in nature amongst the ccTLD Registries in Africa. It wa started as a joint effort, with more than 50 ccTLDs originally associated with the project.<ref>[http://www.aftld.org/ aftld.org]</ref>

AfTLD was started as a project to share information and focus on united actions and issues which are similar in nature amongst the ccTLD Registries in Africa. It was started as a joint effort, with more than 50 ccTLDs originally associated with the project.<ref>[http://www.aftld.org/ aftld.org]</ref>

Their website content is available in English, Arabic, Portuguese and French.

Their website content is available in English, Arabic, Portuguese, and French.

==Timeline==

==Timeline==

* 2009 - Its 3rd Annual African ccTLD Event in Arusha, Tanzania was held. It also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with [[AfriNIC]].

* 2009 - Its 3rd Annual African ccTLD Event in Arusha, Tanzania was held. It also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with [[AfriNIC]].

* 2010 - Held its 4th Annual African ccTLD in Nairobi, Kenya during the [[ICANN 37|37th ICANN Meeting]]

* 2010 - Held its 4th Annual African ccTLD in Nairobi, Kenya during the [[ICANN 37|37th ICANN Meeting]]

* 2011 - Conducted an Attack Contingency Response Planning (ACRP) Workshop for ccTLDs managers in partnership with the Ghananian National Information Technology Administration (NITA).

* 2011 - Conducted an Attack Contingency Response Planning (ACRP) Workshop for ccTLDs managers in partnership with the Ghanaian National Information Technology Administration (NITA).

==Objectives==

==Objectives==

===AfTLD's Bid for .Africa===

===AfTLD's Bid for .Africa===

In March 2011, AfTLD expressed its interest in managing [[.africa]], as well as its french version [[.afrique]], to represent the African region and to be included in the new batch of [[gTLD|generic top level domain names]] (gTLDs) to be submitted to [[ICANN]]. The organization was confident it has the capability to manage .africa and planned to partner with one of the leading registry service providers to ensure the success of the gTLD. AfTLD believed that launching .africa as a new gTLD will greatly benefit the businesses and the entire internet community within the African region.<ref>[http://www.biztechafrica.com/section/internet/article/aftld-takes-africa/527/ AfTLD Takes on .Africa]</ref>  

In March 2011, AfTLD expressed its interest in managing [[.africa]], as well as its french version [[.afrique]], to represent the African region and to be included in the new batch of [[gTLD|generic top level domain names]] (gTLDs) to be submitted to [[ICANN]]. The organization was confident it had the capability to manage .africa and planned to partner with one of the leading registry service providers to ensure the success of the gTLD. AfTLD believed that launching .africa as a new gTLD would greatly benefit the businesses and the entire Internet community within the African region.<ref>[http://www.biztechafrica.com/section/internet/article/aftld-takes-africa/527/ AfTLD Takes on .Africa]</ref>  

AfTLD planned to take part in a competitive bidding process to the African Union Commission (AUC); this body went on to support the bid of [[UniForum SA]], and consequently AfTLD did not apply for any new gTLDs with ICANN.<ref>[http://allafrica.com/stories/201105180533.html AfTLD, DCA Battle for Soul of Dot Africa]</ref>

AfTLD planned to take part in a competitive bidding process to the African Union Commission (AUC); this body went on to support the bid of [[UniForum SA]], and consequently AfTLD did not apply for any new gTLDs with ICANN.<ref>[http://allafrica.com/stories/201105180533.html AfTLD, DCA Battle for Soul of Dot Africa]</ref>