For ICANN Meeting in Nariobi, Kenya — More Headaches
Heads of state from six African countries to hold meeting at same venue during ICANN meeting.
As if security threats and big name firms backing out of next week’s ICANN meeting in Nairobi weren’t enough, attendees to the meeting are regarding to face another big headache.
Nick Tomasso, General Manager, Meetings and Conferences for ICANN has just posted an update that the InterGovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) will be holding a meeting at the same venue as the ICANN meeting next week.
Tomasso writes that this could “severely impact our community as it attends the meeting here on Monday and Tuesday”.
What’s the big fuss? Well, the IGAD is made up of six member nations (Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda). All of them will have their heads of state at the venue on March 9, along with their “respective entourages and full security details, which will be substantial.”
In some ways this will be a cool experience for attendees. But it is also likely to slow things down to a halt. IGAD will certainly take precedence to ICANN at the venue. And if there were by now security worries regarding the venue, having leaders from countries such as Somalia there will certainly heighten those concerns.
