Summary

  • AFRINIC published the NRO NC’s version-three RIR governance package on 1 September 2026, including a recommended draft, redline and rationale report.
  • The listed changes separate a five-year regular audit cycle from a distinct Compliance Review process and add Rehabilitation Plans for follow-up where needed.

The distinction matters because routine assurance and an exceptional intervention answer different questions. A periodic audit asks whether every RIR continues to meet common expectations on a known cycle. A Compliance Review, as described in the announcement, is a separate process with safeguards against misuse and clearer outcomes.

The notice places that split inside a wider redesign. Version three adds or revises definitions for Audit, Compliance Review, Rehabilitation Plan, Temporary Emergency Continuity Arrangement, Temporary Emergency Operator and Transition Plan. It also restructures recognition, clarifies service-region and consultation provisions, revises emergency continuity rules and expands the derecognition process.

The page says rehabilitation is the preferred path in derecognition and that Rehabilitation Plans can structure follow-up after compliance findings. It also lists transparency measures, including publication of assessments, rationales, decisions and supporting documents in relevant processes.

These are features of the ASO AC Recommended Draft RIR Governance Document. The page does not establish that version three is final or binding, that AFRINIC has undergone an audit under it, or that AFRINIC is the subject of a Compliance Review. Responsibility for further updates has moved to the NRO Executive Council, which will also announce any further opportunities for community input.