[NCUC-EC] [NCUC-DISCUSS] Questions for meeting with CEO

[Abbas Sibai]

Dear Wisdom,

Thank you for coordinating this. I appreciate the opportunity to contribute.

As someone relatively new to ICANN processes but with a governance and
public policy background in fragile and complex contexts, I have framed a
small set of CEO-level questions that are strategic, forward-looking, and
grounded in public-interest considerations, particularly from a Global
South perspective.

Please find below my suggested inputs:
*1. Safeguarding the Integrity of the Multistakeholder Model*

   -

   How does ICANN leadership ensure that the increasing use of informal
   mechanisms (e.g., small or ad hoc teams) does not unintentionally weaken
   transparency, inclusiveness, or accountability within formal policymaking
   processes?
   -

   Are there plans to strengthen guardrails to ensure that such processes
   complement rather than substitute community-driven decision-making?

*2. Public Interest in the Next Round of gTLDs*

   -

   What concrete steps is ICANN taking to ensure that the next round of
   gTLD expansion delivers stronger and enforceable public interest
   safeguards, particularly around DNS abuse and user protection?
   -

   How is ICANN incorporating lessons learned from previous rounds into
   compliance and oversight mechanisms?

*3. DNS Abuse – From Commitments to Enforcement*

   -

   Given ongoing debates over the scope of DNS abuse, how does ICANN see
   its role evolving to ensure more consistent and effective enforcement
   across registries and registrars?
   -

   Are there discussions around strengthening incentives or accountability
   mechanisms to address persistent gaps?

*4. Navigating Digital Sovereignty Pressures*

   -

   With increasing assertions of digital sovereignty by governments, how
   does ICANN plan to maintain a globally interoperable DNS while
   constructively engaging with state actors?
   -

   What role can ICANN play in ensuring that multistakeholder governance
   remains relevant in more politically constrained environments?

*5. Inclusion and Meaningful Participation from the Global South*

   -

   From ICANN’s perspective, what are the most effective ways to move
   beyond participation toward meaningful influence for stakeholders from
   underrepresented regions?
   -

   Are there upcoming initiatives to address structural barriers (e.g.,
   capacity, resourcing, access) that limit sustained engagement?

*6. Looking Ahead: Emerging Risks and ICANN’s Strategic Priorities*

   -

   From your perspective as CEO, what are the *top emerging risks* to the
   DNS ecosystem over the next 3–5 years?
   -

   How is ICANN positioning itself to remain resilient and trusted in a
   rapidly evolving digital governance landscape?

I have intentionally kept the questions concise and strategic to align with
the level of engagement with the CEO.

I would be happy to refine or prioritize further depending on the time
available for the call.


Warm Regards,
Abbas Sibai
Policy & Advocacy Specialist
+9613824725
| https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbas-sibai/



On Mon, Apr 6, 2026 at 11:37 AM Wisdom Donkor via Ncuc-discuss <
ncuc-discuss at lists.ncuc.org> wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> Rafik Dammak, Juan Manuel Rojas, and I will be having a call with the CEO
> of ICANN in the coming days. We would greatly appreciate your suggestions
> on topics and questions to be raised during the discussion.
>
> Kindly share your input ahead of time so we can prepare adequately by 10th
> April. Please ensure all questions are submitted before the deadline.
>
> *Wisdom Donkor* (CASP+,  CISM, CEH Certified,)
> NCUC, Chair
> Tel: +233 20 812 8851
> Skype: wisdom_dk | Facebook: kwasi wisdom |  Twitter: @wisdom_dk
>
> _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
> ICANN GNSO Council Member | ICANN transfer policy review working group
> Member  | Council Committee for Overseeing and Implementing Continuous
> Improvement (CCOICI) | UN IGF MAG Member | IGF Support Fund Association
> Executive Committee Member, World Bank Independent Consultant | AU AFIGF
> Member |  Ghana OGP Advisory Committee member | GSS SDGs Advisory Committee
> Member
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________________________
> Specialization:
> E-government Network Infrastructure and E-application, Internet
> Governance,  Open Data policies platforms & Community Development, Cyber
> Security, Geospatial Technologies, Open Source Technologies, Domain Name
> Systems, Human Resource Planning and Development, Software Engineering,
> Event Planning & Management,
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>
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