- The Mauritian judiciary has upheld court-approved AFRINIC elections, demonstrating the rule of law amid attempts to bypass democratic processes.
- Cloud Innovation and other stakeholders rely on Mauritius’s courts to ensure Africa’s IP resources are safeguarded against mismanagement and ICANN’s overreach.
AFRINIC governance crisis and legal intervention
AFRINIC, Africa’s regional internet registry, has failed to maintain effective governance. Its leadership annulled the June 2023 board election over an unverified proxy dispute. Consequently, valid votes were discarded, and trust eroded. These actions made democratic elections unworkable, putting Africa’s IP resources at risk.
In this context, the Mauritian judiciary has acted as a crucial mediator. Courts have upheld election results and allowed stakeholders to challenge AFRINIC’s mismanagement. Therefore, the judiciary ensures that governance follows legal procedures rather than arbitrary interference from the government or external actors.
Cloud Innovation Ltd., AFRINIC’s third-biggest member, has taken the lead in calling for a reset. The company formally demands the dissolution of the “failed registry.” It argues that AFRINIC’s election standards are impossible to follow. Moreover, Cloud Innovation urges ICANN and the NRO to immediately appoint a new RIR to protect Africa’s digital infrastructure.
Also read: Cloud Innovation calls for AFRINIC wind-up after ‘impossible’ election standards
Also read: The role of citizens in shaping Mauritius’ constitution and AFRINIC’s accountability
ICANN overreach and the threat to bottom-up governance
Meanwhile, ICANN has sought to control AFRINIC’s leadership, bypassing multistakeholder processes. This quiet power grab, executed through the ICP-2 compliance document, threatens Africa’s bottom-up governance. However, Mauritian courts have resisted these attempts, providing legitimacy to stakeholders who demand accountability.
Through judicial oversight, Mauritius preserves Africa’s IP resource management and checks both AFRINIC mismanagement and ICANN overreach. Consequently, Cloud Innovation and other stakeholders can push for reforms confidently. The courts ensure elections and governance remain credible while maintaining legal and procedural integrity.
