"For those who came in late, AFRINIC is one of five Regional Internet Registries, the organizations that delegate and manage IP addresses and autonomous system numbers. AFRINIC serves 54 nations across Africa and the Indian Ocean and has been involved in a complex set of interlocking disputes with a member called Cloud Innovation, which it once tried to strip of a large IPv4 holding the registry feels is being misused, but which Cloud Innovation feels it acquired legitimately and is entitled to retain."
"Cloud Innovation filed multiple lawsuits related to that dispute, and they left AFRINIC unable to appoint a CEO or elect board members. The registry has also been unable to perform its core function of allocating IP addresses to its members. Courts in Mauritius, the nation AFRINIC calls home, appointed a receiver in 2024 and charged them with arranging and staging elections so the registry could reconstitute a board."
"After polling closed, AFRINIC announced the election of eight directors. Seven of the eight elected directors enjoyed the endorsement of Smart Africa, a body that has 40 member nations, which pursues a policy of improving adoption of digital technology across Africa. The election of directors leaves AFRINIC able to convene a board, a necessary step before it can hire a CEO, seek to unfreeze its bank accounts, and resume its work."
AFRINIC held elections and appointed eight directors, creating an opportunity to convene a board for the first time since 2022. The registry serves 54 nations across Africa and the Indian Ocean and manages IP addresses and autonomous system numbers. A prolonged dispute with member Cloud Innovation over a large IPv4 holding produced multiple lawsuits that prevented AFRINIC from appointing a CEO, electing board members, and allocating IP addresses. Courts in Mauritius appointed a receiver in 2024 to organize elections; an initial June 2025 vote was annulled and a rescheduled vote took place last week. Seven elected directors carried endorsements from Smart Africa.
Read at Theregister
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]