Historically the country code extensions (ccTLDs) were determined by an only person, Jon Postel, the American who administered the Authority of Internet Numbers (IANA that today is managed by the ICANN). Therefore, for example, .Fr was appointed to CNic-France, the AFNIC ancestor in 1986. The Haiti case (.HT) was a little more complex since that; when IANA "delegates" the .HT in 1997, the chosen association for becoming in Registry was supported by the Haitian Government which asked for the re-delegation toward another entity which never proposes the registry in .HT. In 1999 the Net of Sustaining Development of Haiti (RDDH) had the intention of renewing the Registry in order to allow the development of the information technologies and it had to re-negotiate with the existent Registry, the Government and the Internet community along several years! At this time, all finally seems to be regulated because the IANA sent a favorable report. It is then that the RDDH/FDS consortium with the technical help of AFNIC which leads the .HT Registry, between others. The matter, however, took a turn still more political since the rumor is that IANA would have subdued its decision on the sign into the "ICANN contract" which the ccTLDs majority still deny the recognition. Then, is it an agreement or a pressure? According with Haiti, is it recognized that the ICANN is a mean used for the "small" ccTLDs when they need their voice be heard over the international scene?

See http://nic.rddh.org/

JCV & SB