[members-discuss] Clarifications on NRO Letter to Mauritian Government

Dear all,
 
I will respond where I can, although the RIPE NCC cannot speak for AFRINIC, and any statement on behalf of the NRO needs to be made jointly with the other four RIRs.

First, I would like to address the concerns about the language used in the NRO letter to the Mauritian government. It was not written in a tone that we would use under ordinary circumstances. The letter could have been worded better in parts, and it obviously led to our message being misconstrued. We take note of this and will do better in this regard.
 
Further, some of you have expressed concerns that this letter was an attempt by the NRO to interfere in the judicial processes of Mauritius. However, this was not the intention. As I said in my previous email, we simply wanted to lend weight to AFRINIC's request and help to ensure its ability to provide services to its members. In no way do we believe it is our place (or the NRO’s for that matter) to influence judicial processes in a sovereign nation. 
 
Coming to the issue of “international status” for RIRs, this status can mean different things under different jurisdictions. The RIPE NCC has not requested "international status" from any Dutch or international body. What such status might mean for AFRINIC would be for the Mauritian government to evaluate. For the RIPE NCC, you, our members, are the ultimate governing body, and any potential changes to our legal status would be made in consultation with you.
 
I agree fully with comments that the issues with AFRINIC's governance need to be addressed and I want to reiterate that only the members of AFRINIC and the Internet community in Africa can resolve them. We encourage AFRINIC's members and community to contribute constructively to improve this situation.
 
All our efforts have been guided by the desire to support the stability of the global RIR system, which as Lu correctly points out, is a global, bottom-up, community-driven project. This is how the Internet has been built and, we hope, will continue to be governed. 
 
Finally, this list is under moderation and we will continue to ensure that all mails that are put through to the list abide by the code of conduct.

Sincerely,

Hans Petter Holen
Managing Director
RIPE NCC