Internet: Interoperability allows for growth – ICANN

Remmy Nweke

INTEROPERABILITY in the management of Internet engenders growth, says Regional Liaison Policy Analyst for Africa at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Ms Anne-Rachel Inne.

Speaking at a two-day Internet Governance Training Course for African Policy Makers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, recently, Ms Inne said, that is one of the core reasons for involving stakeholders in ICANN’s policy initiatives.

These initiatives are embodied in ensuring unique, secure and stable Internet globally.

According to her, “Interoperability allows the Internet to grow, change, and remain open to new users.”

New protocols and services, she said, are very much welcomed, because they give credence to diverse and distributed data networks avalanche on the Internet today.

The tripod of having a generally accepted Internet, she noted, is centred on secure and stable Domain Name System (DNS), Internet Protocol (IP) Number Resources, Protocol and port parameters.

She stressed that the uniqueness of Internet currently is that there are variety of data technologies and applications.

Pointing out that all these Internet resources must be consistent and interoperable.

To this end, she cited an instance, with the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), which is an advisory body to ICANN and has 21 African nations in its membership of 110 government and international representations.

In addition, the policy expert said, this is apart from the membership of GAC by the African Union (AU), African Telecommunication Union (ATU), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

Emphasising, however, that GAC was constituted to ensure that each country is represented within ICANN.

“And to secure public policies related to the management of the DNS, globally and nationally, as well as express the diversity of countries’ views regarding Internet law and policies,” she asserted.

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