On March 23, 2010, ATI successfully completed ICANN’s evaluation of its Arabic script TLD project «تونس.» (IDN ccTLD, to be pronounced « .tounes »). Tunisia joined 13 other countries, including Egypt, Russia and China, preparing to offer, or already offering domain names in their native script.
In order to prepare the technical infrastructure required for managing the Arabic domain names under «تونس. » , ATI selected AFNIC, a TLD Registry operator recognized for its expertise and the reliability of its services. On April 26, ATI and AFNIC signed an agreement sponsored by the World Bank who will be financing the project.
In the coming months, AFNIC will provide to ATI its expertise in the technical and administrative management of a TLD. In particular, the collaboration will materialize in the design and deployment of an automated registry solution customized to the needs of « تونس. ». This solution will build upon a software initially developed in a spirit of co-development within the International College of AFNIC. It is destined to be fully operated by ATI.
While committing to new gTLD project such as .paris, AFNIC is proud to demonstrate the versatility of its TLD registry services and solutions with the «تونس. » IDN ccTL
About ATI
The Tunisian Internet Agency (ATI) was created in March 1996 as the national operator of Internet services. ATI is a public corporation whose mission it is to promote Internet services in Tunisia. As part of its domain name administrative and technical management duties, traditionally with its .tn TLD, ATI is in charge of managing, promoting and developing its «تونس. » IDN TLD.
About AFNIC
(Association Française pour le Nommage Internet en Coopération )
Non-profit organization, AFNIC is in charge of the administrative and technical management of the .fr (France) and .re (Reunion Island) Internet domain names.
AFNIC brings together public and private members: representatives from the French government, Internet users and Internet Service Providers (Registrars).
Further information.
About Afnic
Afnic is the acronym for Association Française pour le Nommage Internet en Coopération, the French Network Information Centre. The registry has been appointed by the French government to manage domain names under the .fr Top Level Domain. Afnic also manages the .re (Reunion Island), .pm (Saint-Pierre and Miquelon), .tf (French Southern and Antarctic Territories), .wf (Wallis and Futuna) and .yt (Mayotte) French Overseas TLDs.
In addition to managing French TLDs, Afnic’s role is part of a wider public interest mission, which is to contribute on a daily basis, thanks to the efforts of its teams and its members, to a secure and stable internet, open to innovation and in which the French internet community plays a leading role. As part of that mission, Afnic, a non-profit organization, has committed to devoting 11% of its Revenues from managing .fr Top Level Domain to actions of general interest, in particular by transferring €1.3 million each year to the Afnic Foundation for Digital Solidarity.
Afnic is also the back-end registry for the companies as well as local and regional authorities that have chosen to have their own TLD, such as .paris, .bzh, .alsace, .corsica, .mma, .ovh, .leclerc and .sncf.
Established in 1997 and based in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Afnic currently has nearly 90 employees.