Capacity Development of ccTLDs in Africa Project Concludes Successfully

The Capacity Development of Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) Project under the Coalition for Digital Africa’s Capacity Building Initiative has successfully concluded its comprehensive pilot program aimed at enhancing the capacity of nine ccTLD registries to support the growth of the digital economy in their countries.  This program provided valuable training and resources to empower ccTLD operators, enhance their operational efficiency, and encourage continuous collaboration among stakeholders in the African region. The nine countries targeted were: Angola, Benin, Burundi, Comoros, the Gambia, Madagascar, Niger, Togo and Zimbabwe. One more country, Congo Brazzaville, was included initially but was unable to participate in the pilot. 

Project Kick-off and In-Person Training
Two significant in-person training sessions were held in June and July 2024, which served as pivotal moments for participants to engage directly with experts from within the Internet ecosystem and fellow ccTLD operators. Training content and activities were informed by a previous needs assessment exercise in 2023 where the African Top Level Domains Organization (AfTLD) identified and prioritized needs for the selected ccTLDs, and a kick-off webinar in February 2024, where participants gave updates about the ccTLD and restated their priorities. Most ccTLDs were represented by two participants throughout the process. 

Business and Marketing Training
The two-day business and marketing training was held in Kigali, Rwanda from 8–9 June 2024 and was facilitated by the Association Française pour le Nommage Internet en Coopération (AFNIC). It consisted of presentations and group discussions aimed at addressing the political, organizational, and governance aspects of the ccTLDs in attendance. The workshop preceded the ICANN80 Policy Forum, offering participants an opportunity to attend the meeting. 

Technical Training
The five-day technical training was held in Nairobi, Kenya from 15-19 July and was facilitated by the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC). It consisted of presentations, practical exercises with hands-on labs, and group activities, through which participants learned about the Domain Name System (DNS) ecosystem and registry management. The training was followed by a one-day learning visit to the Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC) and the Africa Data Centre (ADC). 

Follow-Up Webinars
In addition to the physical training sessions, the project also featured a series of follow-up webinars that focused on peer-to-peer exchange where the participants got to interact and learn from each other with the guidance of facilitators. The Business and Marketing webinar was held on 19 and 30 September while the Technical Webinar was held on 20 September with DNS experts from NSRC. These sessions provided an avenue for continuous learning and knowledge sharing among participants.

Mentorship Program
The mentorship program was organized to provide guidance, support, and knowledge sharing for the ccTLDs to better understand their strengths and weaknesses and develop action plans to guide their short- to medium-term development. The program's objective was to monitor how well the participants had grasped the concepts in the training sessions and their ability to implement the lessons learned or plan for their implementation. This program was spearheaded by a team of mentors experienced in registry management within the African region. There were positive responses from the participants on the program as they highlighted the value of ongoing guidance, and most of them demonstrated a strong interest in continuing the mentorship by maintaining communication with their mentors for further support and advice beyond the official conclusion of the program.

As we conclude this project, we celebrate the achievements and progress made by all participants. The skills and knowledge acquired will undoubtedly empower ccTLD operators to maneuver the complexities of the digital landscape more effectively. The project has strengthened regional collaboration among ccTLDs, paving the way for a more unified approach to addressing challenges and leveraging opportunities in Africa's digital ecosystem. The Coalition for Digital Africa remains committed to supporting these efforts.

Thank you to all participants, trainers, mentors, and stakeholders who contributed to the success of this Initiative.