ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) will be increasing the number of representatives covering the African region, bringing in at least one new rep for each of the six areas of the continent.

This information comes via ICANN president Fadi Chehadé, who was speaking at the Africa Multi-stakeholder Internet Governance meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“ICANN used to say if you want to participate in Internet governance come to ICANN. We’ve changed that, now ICANN is coming to the stakeholders. We’re not waiting for you to come. We’re coming to you.”

Chehadé said that he would like to see an increase in the number of accredited African registrars in addition to expanding ICANN participation opportunities to the Indian Ocean, Central, North, West, East and South regions of the continent. Currently there are only five registrars on the continent, out of more than 1,000 worldwide.

“I want African on-ramps into the ICANN structures. I will give you the on-ramps, but you need to climb them.”