[At-Large] ICANN Allocates Emergency Financial Support for Continued Access to the Internet

[Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society]

https://www.icann.org/en/announcements/details/icann-allocates-emergency-financial-support-for-continued-access-to-the-internet-06-03-2022-en

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) today
announced a Board decision to allocate an initial sum of US$1 million to be
used to provide financial assistance to support access to Internet
infrastructure in emergency situations.

"Over the past 10 days, we have watched events unfold in Ukraine and the
surrounding region that are tragic and profoundly troubling," said ICANN
Board Chair Maarten Botterman. "Our hearts go out to the millions of people
who are suffering from the violence as well as the related consequences
that are impacting their lives."

The ICANN Board has directed ICANN President and Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) Göran Marby to develop a process and disperse financial assistance to
support the security, stability, and resiliency of the Internet's unique
identifier systems, specifically to support mitigation measures where
access to the Internet infrastructure is jeopardized by sudden, unexpected
events beyond the control of the affected users. The ICANN Board expects
that the distribution directed today will focus on support for maintaining
Internet access for users within Ukraine.

The Board also recognizes the value of providing this type of support on a
longer-term basis and has directed the CEO to evaluate whether and how to
instill this effort for future budget years.

Botterman further explained the Board's rationale for its decision, "ICANN
stands for a single, global, and interoperable Internet that serves all
people around the world in exercising their fundamental human rights,
including the human right to seek, receive, and impart information and
ideas. It is through unimpeded access to the Internet and the free flow of
information that people can gain knowledge and exposure to a diversity of
viewpoints and information. This is especially critical when timely access
to information and communication may be life-saving."

This action is intended to have a positive impact on the security,
stability, and resiliency of the domain name system as it will make funding
available to maintain accessibility when operators or others might
otherwise not have the resources to do so. The Board's action is within
ICANN's mission as it directly supports ICANN's core role and is within the
global public interest.
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