ICP 2 Review

Public Consultation on ICP-2: Governance Document for Regional Internet Registries (RIRs)

As part of the Regional Internet Registries (RIR) system, the AFRINIC community is invited to contribute to the global discussion on updating the ICP-2 document. This process, led by the NRO Numbers Council (NRO NC), aims to update the principles for the recognition, operation, and potential derecognition of RIRs. The goal is to strengthen the current system by improving its clarity, stability, and capacity for self-governance, while preserving the core foundations that have supported the system to date.

Consultation Rounds

Key Aspects of the Draft Document

The document includes the following key points:

• It defines and clarifies various governance, operational, and lifecycle aspects of RIRs that were previously implied but not explicitly outlined.
• It introduces criteria for derecognition of an RIR that fails to meet required standards.
• It does not aim to redesign the current RIR system, but rather seeks to enhance it in line with current challenges and needs.

ICP-2 Review Timeline

1. Q1 - Q4 2024

   Review of ICP-2, Drafting Core Principles

   Existing document assessed by ASO Address Council for relevance and accuracy, core requirements for RIRs identified.

2. Q4 2024 - Q1 2025

   Community Input on Principles & Feedback Reporting

   Questionnaire available on the Number Resource Organisation (NRO) website, ICANN public comment period hosted: analyzed community feedback and made it public.

3. Q1 2025

   Drafting the Updated Document

   Incorporated feedback from the questionnaire into the first draft.

4. Q3 - Q4 2025 Ongoing

   Second Public Comment on Draft

   The updated draft is available to the global internet community and to RIR and ICANN communities for a consultation and discussion period.

5. Q4 2025 - Q1 2026

   Final Review

   Outcomes of public comments, including amendments to the draft criteria, will be presented to the Internet community at RIR meetings and other publication channels for review.

6. To Be Determined

   Approval & Adoption

   The ASO AC will present the recommended document to the NRO Executive Council and ICANN, which will determine procedure for approval and adoption.

How to Participate in the Consultation

The consultation is aimed at members of the African Internet community within the regional RIR framework. Participants from other RIR communities are encouraged to contribute via their own regional discussion channels.

When providing feedback, we ask that you focus on the content of the document, particularly on the new requirements outlined. Key areas of interest include:

• Whether the document provides sufficient clarity regarding the obligations of an RIR.
• Whether the remediation steps for non-compliance are adequately defined.

Please note that this consultation is non-binding and does not address implementation details.

Steps to Participate

AFRINIC Community Engagement

Join us for our webinar: Updating ICP-2: Advancing Internet Number Governance for the Future on 21 October 2025. You can access recordings of past sessions to stay informed:

• Watch the recording of the AIS’25 session (Africa Internet Summit held in Accra, Ghana, Thursday 2 October 2025).
• AFRINIC Webinar held on Thursday 8 May 2025.
• AFRINIC Webinar held on Wednesday 23 October 2024.

Webinar on ICP-2 (21/10/2025)

Feedback

All submitted comments will be reviewed by the NRO NC and considered in preparing the final version of the document. Should significant revisions be necessary, an additional review round may be initiated.

Once finalised, the ASO AC will submit the document to the NRO EC, which, together with ICANN, will determine the next steps for formal approval and adoption.

Further Information

For more details on the ICP-2 review process, visit the official NRO website: ICP-2 Review on NRO Website.

The entire process is governed by the AFRINIC Community Code of Conduct.