The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the nonprofit organization that coordinates the Domain Name System (DNS), announced today the opening of the Applicant Support Program (ASP) for the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program: Next Round.

The New gTLD Program: Next Round is an initiative that will enable the introduction of new gTLDs (including those longer than three characters and in non-Latin scripts) into the Internet’s domain name space.

It will be the first opportunity since 2012 to secure a gTLD, and the ASP makes it possible for lesser-resourced organizations to benefit from this transformation in their presence online.

Top-level domains are the part of an Internet address that comes after the dot. For example, in the domain name icann.org, the characters ‘org’ identify the TLD and help to classify the purpose of the domain name.

The Internet started with just a handful of TLDs, such as .com, .net., .org and others. As it has evolved, the number of generic TLDs in the DNS has increased to reflect the multidimensionality of its billions of users and to help classify and communicate the purpose of a domain name.

ICANN appreciates that applying to operate a gTLD can be expensive and out of reach for many organizations. The ASP is intended to make the processes and fees involved in applying for a new gTLD more accessible to entities that may want to operate a gTLD but are unable because of financial and other resource constraints. Supported applicants will be eligible to receive access to pro bono service providers, training, and other resources, and a 75-85% reduction in gTLD evaluation fees.

“The New gTLD Program: Next Round will give businesses, communities, and others the opportunity to apply for new top-level domains tailored to their community, culture, language, business, and customers. The program reinforces ICANN’s commitment to encourage innovation, competition, and consumer choice in the domain industry,” said Pierre Dandjinou, Vice President, ICANN, Africa.

“The ASP supports that commitment by paving the way for more entrepreneurs, small businesses, governments, and communities around the world to apply to operate a generic top-level domain of their own choosing.”

To be eligible for the program, applicants must meet financial need and financial viability criteria, and fall into at least one of the following entity categories:

• Nonprofits, charities, or equivalent
• Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)
• Indigenous/tribal peoples’ organizations
• Social impact or public benefit micro or small businesses
• Micro or small businesses from a less-developed economy

More information on evaluation and eligibility criteria are described in Section 4: Applicant Eligibility and Evaluation Categories, of the ASP Handbook.

ASP applicants will be evaluated on an ongoing basis. The first applicants to apply and qualify for support will the first to take advantage of the available resources. The application window will remain open for 12 months. Applicants are encouraged to apply early.

To further enhance global efforts to combat cyber offenses, Kaspersky and AFRIPOL have signed a cooperation agreement in preventing and fighting cybercrime.

Covering a period of five years, the document formalises and facilitates cooperation between the company and the law enforcement agency in sharing threat intelligence data on the latest cybercriminal activities.

The landscape of cyberthreats in Africa has constantly been evolving, with the continent having been especially susceptible to industrial threats. The region, in particular, has the highest share of Industrial Control Systems (ICS) computers on which malicious objects were blocked by Kaspersky solutions, compared to other regions.

Africa’s vigorous cyberthreat environment requires enhanced collaboration of the parties concerned to safeguard against potential risks.

Strengthening the existing relationship between the two organisations, the agreement provides for enhanced data exchange on cyberthreats and cybercrime trends, with Kaspersky handing over such data to AFRIPOL for the further criminal intelligence analysis by the organisation.

Another aspect of collaboration includes the provision of assistance, know-how and technical knowledge in information security analysis by Kaspersky’s vastly experienced teams of experts.

The official signing ceremony took place at AFRIPOL’s headquarters in Algiers on November 18, with the agreement signed by Kaspersky founder and CEO, Eugene Kaspersky and AFRIPOL’s Acting Executive Director, Ambassador Jalel Chelba.

Kaspersky founder and CEO, Eugene Kaspersky, noted: “An effective fight against cybercrime is inconceivable without cooperation. Our company has always put collaborative effort first – sharing its expertise with the widest range of stakeholders: the security expert community, law enforcement agencies, and also the general public to empower them with knowledge about acute cyberthreats.

“Hence, by advancing our cooperation with AFRIPOL and by equipping the agency with both the information and technology required for responding to emerging cyberthreats, we hope to enhance our contribution in fostering greater cyber-resilience and a safer cyberspace for all.”

AFRIPOL Acting Executive Director Ambassador Jalel Chelba stated: “This agreement with Kaspersky represents a major step forward in strengthening Africa’s digital defenses.

By leveraging Kaspersky’s expertise and resources, we are not only enhancing AFRIPOL’s ability to counter cyber threats, but also contributing to the protection of a secure digital space for all African citizens.

This collaboration brings substantial added value to both our organisations: it strengthens AFRIPOL’s operational framework in combating cybercrime, while allowing Kaspersky to play a key role in the digital security of a strategically important continent in terms of cybersecurity. Together, we are taking a significant step towards resilience and digital trust in Africa, by mobilising the best of both partners.”

Kaspersky and AFRIPOL have a long record of joint cooperation projects. The two organisations have been active contributors to the assessment of the African threat landscape, while also being active participants in INTERPOL-led actions to disrupt cybercrime on the African continent, namely Africa Cyber Surge Operation and Africa Cyber Surge Operation II.

The two organisations have also been advocating for greater digital trust, with AFRIPOL having endorsed Kaspersky’s first Transparency Center in the African region in Rwanda. Learn more at the website.

The Cloud Native Computing Foundation® (CNCF®), which builds sustainable ecosystems for cloud-native software, along with Linux Foundation Education, the training and certification arm of the Linux Foundation, has partnered with Andela, home to the world’s largest private tech talent marketplace, to train 20,000 to 30,000 African technologists in cloud native basics to enable them to excel in jobs globally as cloud-native development grows.

The training—done at no cost to the participants—will begin next year and unfold over two to three years. Participants will have the opportunity to train for the Kubernetes and Cloud Native associate (KCNA) certification, which demonstrates a user’s foundational knowledge and skills in Kubernetes and the wider cloud native ecosystem, and the Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD), which certifies that users can design, build, configure, and expose cloud native applications for Kubernetes.

“This partnership showcases the global impact of CNCF’s education programs. By standardizing cloud native knowledge, developers across the globe can confidently work toward certifications that will enable them to land developer positions both within their own countries and globally,” said Chris Aniszczyk, CTO at the CNCF.

“By partnering with Andela, which has a long history of training technologists in Africa, we see great opportunity in providing our training to communities that may otherwise not have access. Together, we can create a win-win for companies that need workers and workers that need opportunities.”

According to Google’s Africa Developer Ecosystem Report 2021, the increased global demand for remote tech talent, which was accelerated by the pandemic, created more remote employment opportunities for African developers. Now, 38% of African software developers work for at least one company based outside the continent.

“We are excited to partner with CNCF to extend training and, ultimately, enhance job opportunities for African workers. The continent is emerging as one of the most important markets in the world.

“It has the fastest-growing population of developers, and its young workforce will be key to solving the tech talent shortage,” said Carrol Chang, Andela CEO. “Organizations are looking for talent with advanced skill sets like AI and cloud-native, and this particular skill set is a perfect addition to the Andela marketplace.”

Training participants will take six to nine months to achieve the KCNA and CKAD certifications and will be selected from Andela’s talent marketplace, which includes 150,000 technology professionals globally, with a large percentage from Africa. Andela’s talent marketplace in Africa spans 49 countries, including Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana.

The company fosters an active community for marketplace participants and has worked with numerous companies, including Google, Meta, Microsoft, AWS, and Nvidia, to train talent in technologies that offer vast workplace opportunities.

The need for cloud-native developers continues to increase and a recent study by CNCF revealed that almost 55% of developers landed a new job as a result of training and certification courses.

Almost 7 in 10 (67%) said it made them feel more engaged and fulfilled in their work. However, 8 in 10 (81%) also said cost prevented them from completing certifications.

“As a non-profit focused on growing open source and cultivating the IT talent needed to sustain it, partnerships – like this one with Andela – help us train and certify underrepresented groups, which is crucial to both our long-term success and amplify our impact,” said Clyde Seepersad, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Linux Foundation Education.