CAIRO, EGYPT: The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) concluded its 33rd International Public Meeting in Cairo today. During the meeting, key issues that will influence the future development of the Internet were discussed by more than 1,000 delegates from 144 countries, including the introduction of new generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) and Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs).

The board also resolved that ICANN’s 35th International Meeting will be held in Sydney Australia in June 2009 and following that, in Seoul, Korea in October 2009.

Commenting on the week’s proceedings, ICANN’s Chairman, Peter DengateThrush said:

“I’m very pleased with the progress made this week in preparing for the introduction of new Generic Top Level Domains. We have had very positive useful feedback from the Internet community. This feedback will be factored into the application guidebook, which will make it possible for applicants to build their businesses based on new names with confidence.

“This week also saw further progress towards the implementation of Internationalized Domain Names which will make the domain name system truly global. This will introduce extraordinary innovation in the way the world can express itself on the Internet.”

Delegates at the Cairo meeting also heard addresses from the Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Doctor Hamadoun Touré and Acting Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Commerce, Meredith Attwell Baker. Both dignitaries spoke frankly to a full house about the future of the ICANN and the Internet, from the viewpoint of their organizations.

Dr Touré stressed the importance of collaboration between the ITU and ICANN and Acting Assistant Secretary Attwell Baker acknowledged ICANN’s institutional progress in the 10 years since its creation and stressed that proactive contribution from the community is vital to the organization as the Internet continues to evolve.

ICANN’s next International meeting will be held in Mexico City, Mexico from 1-6 March, 2009. For more information visit: http://mex.icann.org/