The following countries have launched or are about to launch Arabic languaged TLD’s or allow IDN’s on existing TLD’s:
1.) United Arab Emirates / Dubai
New Arabic TLD: .EMARAT
Status: About to be launched. There is currently a Sunrise I phase in place, exclusively for government institutions.
September 27, 2010 until October 22, 2010
Sunrise Phase II: For owners of trademarks registered in the UAE, or any other Arab country. Both Latin & Arabic character trademarks will be accepted.
November 15, 2010 to November 19, 2010
Sunrise Phase III: For generic domain names in Arabic translation. In case more than one company applies for the same name, a public auction will be arranged. Applicants must also show some type of documentation, that they have a genuine interest in using the specific name.
December 11, 2010
Launch, first-come, first-served
2.) Egypt
New Arabic TLD: .MISR
Status: Currently being launched.
There is currently a Sunrise period that ends September 17th. it is open to local companies only, and only to those companies that also hold a matching Egyptian Arabic character trademark.
The following Sunrise period has no set date yet. It is expected to be for those companies, including foreign, that hold a matching Egyptian Latin character Trademark
Remarks:
In the event, a domain is registered with Arabic letters and numbers, automatically, the same domain will be registered in Arabic letters with the numbers in Latin. So there will be two domains, one in all Arabic and one in Arabic with numbers in Latin.
In the Arabic language, the last letter which is like the “Y” in English is similar to another version of an “A” sound which is used . In the event this “Y” is used in the end of the domain, another domain will be automatically registered to cover the “A”, the reason being that both letter are almost the same(depending on the use). This will let you protect both versions.
It is not allowed to combine a Latin letter with the Arabic letters.
3.) Saudi Arabia
New Arabic TLD: .ALSUADIAH
Status: Active
Local company required
4.) Jordan IDN’s
Expected, but regulations and launch dates not yet confirmed.