The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is set to open a Istanbul hub, which will cover the non-profit corporations operations in Africa, Middle East and Europe
ICANN President and chief executive officer Fadi Chehadé said that the announcement marked a "significant moment" in ICANN's evolution as it prepares to spread its operational functions across three global headquarters in Los Angeles, Istanbul and Singapore.
"ICANN is becoming increasingly international in terms of our outlook, policies and the makeup of our staff," remarked Chehadé. "Now our global hub strategy will take our internationalism to an improved operational level. These hub offices will become part of the core fabric of ICANN."
"We chose Istanbul because of the quality of its infrastructure, growing ICT sector, business-friendly environment and its close cultural and geographic proximity to Europe, the Middle East and Africa," he added.
Led by David Olive, ICANN vice-president for Policy Development, the Istanbul hub office will also house a number of current ICANN staff, who will relocate to the Turkish city, along with a number of new employees recruited locally.
Turkish minister of transport, maritime affairs, and communications, Binali Yıldırım, remarked, "ICANN provides efficient and considered management of the Internet’s Domain Name System, and today marks the latest step in the organization’s journey of extending its global influence. The ICANN European hub is being established in Istanbul to act as an epicentre that will help shape Internet policy to deliver a more connected community across Europe, the Middle East and Africa."
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