AFRINIC ELECTIONS TO BE HELD WITHIN SIX MONTHS

AFRINIC ELECTIONS TO BE HELD WITHIN SIX MONTHS


Cloud Innovation welcomes Supreme Court Judgment Of Appointment Official Receiver


(Port Louis, Mauritius 14 September 2023) The Supreme Court of Mauritius has appointed the Official Receiver in Mauritius to oversee, amongst other pertinent matters, elections for African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC) Ltd . The Judgment handed down by the Supreme Court of Mauritius on 12 September 2023 provides the pan-Africa Regional Internet Registry the much needed stability after a series of failings by its former management.


Cloud Innovation welcomes this landmark judgment by the Supreme Court of Mauritius to appoint an official receiver to preserve AFRINIC’s assets and to hold elections for AFRINIC as quickly as possible. Ruling in favour of Cloud Innovation application to appoint a Receiver and to hold elections, the Supreme Court judgment stated: “Cloud Innovation Limited, is fully justified, reasonable, and fair”.


Seychelles based Cloud Innovation is a central part of the Africa internet ecosystem and as such is prioritising working with the community to ensure that elections are held within six months (unless otherwise extended by Court) so that a new CEO may be appointed. Cloud Innovation has called upon the whole RIR community to support the Official Receiver in their work to deliver the court ordered elections to ensure that AFRINIC remains an important part of the RIR system.


Cloud Innovation Chief Executive Officer, Lu Heng welcomed the judgment and said:


“I welcome the Judgment of the Supreme Court of Mauritius agreeing to our request to appoint an Official Receiver so that elections can be held for AFRINIC within six months. This provides must needed stability for Africa’s regional internet registry. It is important for the stability of AFRINIC that all members follow the Judgment and work with the Official Receiver to ensure elections can take place. The RIR community must come together and join Cloud Innovation in protecting the interests of Africa’s internet users”.


Mr Lu added: “The Judgment makes clear that the action sought by Cloud Innovation was “fully justified, reasonable and fair” and our focus now must be on supporting the staff and members of AFRINIC and delivering the Court Ordered elections so that AFRINIC can look to the future with confidence focused on its core services as Africa’s internet registry.”


In the Judgment handed down on 12 September 2023 by Supreme Court Judge Honourable M J Lau Yuk Poon, ruling in favour of Cloud Innovation who had argued that AFRINIC was not a properly constituted organisation after the terms of previous elected and appointed Directors and CEO had expired. In addition to tasking the Official Receiver to hold elections within six months, the Court ordered that:


  • AFRINIC is prohibited from relocation, takeover, merger or restructuring

  • The assets and value of busines of AFRINIC are preserved

  • That a CEO is appointed by the new elected board

  • The deadline for AFRINIC holding elections is 12 March 2024 - unless otherwise extended by the Court.


    Ends


    Enclosed: Cloud Innovation press release with judgement attached