About the NRO

What is the NRO?

The Number Resource Organization (NRO) is a coordinating body for the five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) that manage the distribution of Internet number resources including IP addresses and Autonomous System Numbers. Each RIR consists of the Internet community in its region.

History of the NRO

On 24 October 2003, the four existing RIRs – APNIC, ARIN, LACNIC, and RIPE NCC – entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ICANN to form the NRO. Once AFRINIC was incorporated in April 2005 it signed the MoU and joined the NRO.

On 31 October 2003, the RIRs delivered an Open Letter to ICANN advising of the formation of the NRO. The letter included a copy of the NRO MoU and a proposed MoU to form a new ICANN Address Supporting Organization (ASO).

NRO Mission

To actively contribute to an open, stable and secure Internet, through:

  • Providing and promoting a coordinated Internet number registry system
  • Being an authoritative voice on the multi-stakeholder model and bottom-up policy process in Internet governance
  • Coordinating and supporting joint activities of the RIRs

Founding Documents

  • NRO-ICANN Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
    • NRO MoU FAQ
  • ASO Memorandum of Understanding
  • Open Letter to ICANN upon NRO’s Formation

The main aims of the NRO are to:

  • Protect the unallocated Internet number resource pool
  • Promote and protect the bottom-up policy development process
  • Act as a focal point for Internet community input into the RIR system

The NRO takes on several joint activities on behalf of the RIRs, including technical projects such as Resource Certification, as well as other projects, including global statistics reports, Internet governance activities, and global policy coordination.

Executive Council

The chief executives of the five RIRs comprise the Executive Council (EC) of the NRO, with EC positions rotating annually.

2014 Executive Council positions:

  • Chairman: Axel Pawlik (RIPE NCC)
  • Secretary: Oscar Robles (LACNIC)
  • Treasurer: John Curran (ARIN)
  • Members: Patrisse Deesse (AFRINIC), Paul Wilson (APNIC)
  • Executive Council Biographies and Photos
  • NRO Executive Council Meetings

Executive Secretary

In April 2013 The NRO appointed a permanent NRO Executive Secretary with the purpose to keep a consistent support to ASO and NRO activities and goals.

  • Executive Secretary: German Valdez (exec-secretary@nro.net)

NRO Number Council (NRO NC)

The NRO also acts as the ICANN Address Supporting Organization (ASO), formed to review and develop recommendations on IP address policy and to advise the ICANN Board. An elected body called the NRO Number Council (NRO NC) serves as the ASO Address Council (ASO AC), overseeing recommendations on IP address policy, including the management of policy development activities, and appoint members to the ICANN Board of Directors.

More Information

  • NRO Fact Sheet
  • NRO FAQ
  • NRO Continuing Cooperation Brochure
  • IPv6 Around the World
  • About the NRO Number Council
  • History of the RIRs (Flash)
  • About the Number Resource Organization (Flash)
  • Managing Internet Number Resources (Flash)

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