Session
Description:
Small island territories face several specific challenges from infrastructure limitation to dependence on external providers as well as the need to build capacity at the local level but also to foster regional cooperation and integration underscoring the importance of multistakeholder collaboration. Country code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) are strategic digital assets that support national or regional identity, trust, and Internet resilience. For small island territories, managing ccTLDs presents unique technical, institutional, and policy challenges, including limited human and financial resources and the need to reconcile local interests with global Internet governance. This workshop will examine how small island territories can strengthen the technical operation and governance of their ccTLDs while ensuring meaningful participation from local Internet communities. The discussion will highlight multistakeholder approaches that bring together registry operators, governments, technical experts, civil society, academia, the private sector and end users to develop sustainable governance models. We will leverage the allocation of public service delegations to the French registry AFNIC to manage the ccTLDs of French small island territoriesand compare this model with others to understand how local Internet communities can benefit from a multistakeholder approach that facilitates the exchange of experiences and good practices Participants will explore good practices for resilient registry operations, DNS security, capacity building, community engagement, and public policy frameworks that foster transparency, accountability, and local ownership. Case studies from small island territories across different regions will illustrate successful initiatives and identify common challenges. The session will also address how regional and international cooperation - including support from ICANN, regional Internet organizations, and the broader technical community - can enhance local capabilities without undermining community-led governance. Through an interactive discussion, participants will identify practical recommendations to improve both the technical resilience and the policy governance of small island ccTLDs, ensuring they remain trusted public resources.
Small island territories face several specific challenges from infrastructure limitation to dependence on external providers as well as the need to build capacity at the local level but also to foster regional cooperation and integration underscoring the importance of multistakeholder collaboration. Country code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) are strategic digital assets that support national or regional identity, trust, and Internet resilience. For small island territories, managing ccTLDs presents unique technical, institutional, and policy challenges, including limited human and financial resources and the need to reconcile local interests with global Internet governance. This workshop will examine how small island territories can strengthen the technical operation and governance of their ccTLDs while ensuring meaningful participation from local Internet communities. The discussion will highlight multistakeholder approaches that bring together registry operators, governments, technical experts, civil society, academia, the private sector and end users to develop sustainable governance models. We will leverage the allocation of public service delegations to the French registry AFNIC to manage the ccTLDs of French small island territoriesand compare this model with others to understand how local Internet communities can benefit from a multistakeholder approach that facilitates the exchange of experiences and good practices Participants will explore good practices for resilient registry operations, DNS security, capacity building, community engagement, and public policy frameworks that foster transparency, accountability, and local ownership. Case studies from small island territories across different regions will illustrate successful initiatives and identify common challenges. The session will also address how regional and international cooperation - including support from ICANN, regional Internet organizations, and the broader technical community - can enhance local capabilities without undermining community-led governance. Through an interactive discussion, participants will identify practical recommendations to improve both the technical resilience and the policy governance of small island ccTLDs, ensuring they remain trusted public resources.
Policy Question(s)
A. How can island territories strengthen the technical resilience and security of their ccTLDs while maintaining local control and sustainability?
B. Which multistakeholder governance models best ensure meaningful participation of local Internet communities in ccTLD policy development and decision-making?
C. How can regional and international cooperation support island ccTLD operators while preserving local ownership, sovereignty, and community interests?
Expected Outcomes
The workshop will produce a set of practical recommendations for strengthening the governance and technical management of small island territory ccTLDs through inclusive multistakeholder approaches. Participants will identify key success factors for improving operational resilience, community participation, and policy coordination.
The session will foster new connections among registry operators, governments, technical organizations, and civil society representatives from small island territories, encouraging future collaboration and capacity-building initiatives. The recommendations may also contribute to broader discussions within the Internet governance ecosystem on strengthening local Internet infrastructures and promoting community-driven digital development.
Participants will leave with concrete examples, policy insights, and practical tools that can be adapted to their own local contexts.
Format
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: A 90-minute roundtable is the most appropriate format because it promotes equal participation among speakers and maximizes interaction with both onsite and online attendees. Rather than relying on formal presentations, the session will combine brief introductory interventions with moderated discussion, audience questions, and exchanges of practical experiences from different island territories. This format encourages cross-regional dialogue, comparison of governance models, and collaborative identification of good practices. Interactive polling and online questions will ensure that remote participants contribute on an equal footing with those attending in person, reinforcing the workshop's multistakeholder and community-driven objectives.
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: A 90-minute roundtable is the most appropriate format because it promotes equal participation among speakers and maximizes interaction with both onsite and online attendees. Rather than relying on formal presentations, the session will combine brief introductory interventions with moderated discussion, audience questions, and exchanges of practical experiences from different island territories. This format encourages cross-regional dialogue, comparison of governance models, and collaborative identification of good practices. Interactive polling and online questions will ensure that remote participants contribute on an equal footing with those attending in person, reinforcing the workshop's multistakeholder and community-driven objectives.
Hybrid Format: The session will be designed from the outset as a hybrid event. An onsite moderator will facilitate the room discussion while an online moderator will ensure that remote participants can intervene throughout the session. Equal speaking opportunities will be provided regardless of participation mode.
Interactive polling tools, moderated Q&A, and collaborative note-taking will encourage contributions from all participants. Questions collected online will be integrated into the live discussion rather than addressed separately.
The rapporteur will summarize key points in real time, allowing participants to validate recommendations before the session concludes. This approach ensures that both onsite and online participants actively contribute to developing practical recommendations for inclusive ccTLD governance in island territories.
Organizer 1: Sébastien Bachollet, 🔒ISOC Fr
Organizer 2: Maureen Hilyard, 🔒DC-SIDS, CIIAG
Organizer 3: Claire Popineau, Ministère de la Justice
Organizer 4: Lucien M. CASTEX, 🔒AFNIC
Organizer 5: Nicolas Raft RAZAFINDRAKOTO, 🔒ISOC-MADA
Organizer 6: Olivier Crepin-Leblond, 🔒ISOC UK England
Organizer 2: Maureen Hilyard, 🔒DC-SIDS, CIIAG
Organizer 3: Claire Popineau, Ministère de la Justice
Organizer 4: Lucien M. CASTEX, 🔒AFNIC
Organizer 5: Nicolas Raft RAZAFINDRAKOTO, 🔒ISOC-MADA
Organizer 6: Olivier Crepin-Leblond, 🔒ISOC UK England
Speaker 1: Sébastien Bachollet, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 2: Maureen Hilyard, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: Claire Popineau, Government, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 4: Lucien M. CASTEX, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 5: Nicolas Raft RAZAFINDRAKOTO, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Maureen Hilyard, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: Claire Popineau, Government, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 4: Lucien M. CASTEX, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 5: Nicolas Raft RAZAFINDRAKOTO, Civil Society, African Group
Moderator
Sébastien Bachollet, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Online Moderator
Claire Popineau, Government, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Rapporteur
Olivier Crepin-Leblond, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
What will participants gain from attending this session?
