AFRINIC is facing a crisis that would also swallow the other RIRs without proper action on our behalf. The legal action of multiple parties against AFRINIC has frozen their bank account, cutting off their financial support and impairing AFRINIC¡¯s ability to perform as a fully functioning RIR.
The other RIRs will also suffer especially with the Joint RIR Stability Fund of the NRO. With this, it might be that APNIC, ARIN, LACNIC, and RIPE-NCC and other non-members to be on top of the news and unite against NRO¡¯s solidarity pact to avoid sharing AFRINIC¡¯s possible future of liquidation and insolvency. It can¡¯t be stressed enough that AFRINIC¡¯s problems can easily become the problem of other RIRs without proper safeguards.
There are other issues and questions that would be raised aside from the very real possibility that AFRINIC may incur a 50 million USD debt with the current legal proceedings. Would APNIC¡¯s liability be limited to the current funds and will the APNIC members have to pay for AFRINIC's debt? Will they be assured that the RIR¡¯s joint fund will stay the same and not increase when there is a need? Or is there any confirmation that membership fees stay the same, vis a vis the issue with AFRINIC¡¯s financial status?
These questions demand that we think about it carefully and ensure that we do not follow down AFRINIC¡¯s path. Regardless of how we do it, it is encouraging that justice is served, and hopefully AFRINIC will open their eyes and resolve their legal issues with the parties involved.
And more to it, we have just learned AFRINIC themselves have admitted in the press their inability to continue operation will impact end users worldwide(https://www.lexpress.mu/article/397324/grands-titres-lexpress-ce-jeudi-29-juillet-2021), so it is extremely important for the continuity of the service, NRO taking over AFRINIC's registry function to avoid any potential disruptions to the globe internet. litigation came with huge risk, not to mention multiple litigation AFRINIC is currently facing, and since AFRINIC have provide their own admission of their inability to continue to operate, it is critical to have other RIR taking over their core function of registry service to ensure continue service of the internet