In an exclusive conversation with TECHx Media, Hans Petter Holen, CEO of RIPE NCC, shares insights on how the organisation ensures a stable and secure Internet across Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. As the regional Internet registry, RIPE NCC manages vital resources like IPv4, IPv6, and Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs), while driving network growth, routing security, and collaborative initiatives that strengthen global Internet infrastructure.

What is the core mission of RIPE NCC and how does it contribute to global internet stability and resource coordination?

The RIPE NCC is the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Our core mission is to allocate and register Internet number resources (IPv4, IPv6, and ASNs) and to provide the technical coordination services that keep the Internet interoperable, stable, and globally unique. We do this by implementing policies developed through an open, bottom-up, community-driven process, ensuring transparent and consistent stewardship across our service region, and aligning closely with the other four RIRs to maintain global uniqueness and coherence of the numbering system.

Beyond registry services, the RIPE NCC contributes to global Internet stability by working in partnership with all stakeholder groups: network operators and the technical community, governments and regulators, academia and civil society, and intergovernmental organisations. Through capacity building, shared Internet measurement data and insights, operational best practices, and collaboration frameworks (including MoUs and joint initiatives), we help strengthen local, regional, and global Internet infrastructure including supporting IPv6 adoption, secure routing, resilient interconnection, and informed decision-making. This multistakeholder approach helps defend and sustain an open, inclusive, and stable Internet, while ensuring that public policy discussions affecting the Internet remain grounded in technical reality.

How does RIPE NCC support regional internet growth across Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia?

The RIPE NCC supports regional Internet growth by strengthening the technical foundations that make connectivity scalable, secure, and resilient across Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

A key priority is the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), which is essential for long-term connectivity and growth as IPv4 addresses are exhausted. Across the Middle East, we’re seeing strong momentum: Saudi Arabia and the UAE are increasingly setting the pace, demonstrating how sustained collaboration between operators, regulators, and the technical community can accelerate IPv6 readiness at a national scale. We support this progress through training, best practices, and practical guidance so networks can expand services.

We also prioritise routing security through promoting Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI), enabling networks to validate route origins and reduce the risk of hijacks and leaks.

At the ecosystem level, we support stronger interconnection and local traffic exchange by engaging with and supporting Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) and peering communities. More local peering improves performance, reduces costs, and increases resilience by keeping traffic closer to users and providing alternate paths during disruptions.

We complement this with Internet measurement tools and data (e.g. RIPE Atlas) to provide evidence on performance, reachability, and resilience. This helps operators and policymakers identify bottlenecks, monitor progress, and make informed investments.

Just as importantly, we build and sustain communities that make this progress possible. We support Network Operator Groups (NOGs) and technical forums, and we contribute to Internet Governance Forums (IGFs) and National/Regional IGF Initiatives (NRIs) to help ensure that policy discussions remain multistakeholder, inclusive, and grounded in technical reality.

Together, these efforts help countries and regions grow Internet infrastructure that is not only faster, but also more robust and secure, while remaining part of one global Internet.

What are the main challenges in Internet number resource management today?

The big challenges are shaped by growth and scarcity: IPv4 exhaustion and the operational complexity of transfers; keeping registry data accurate and trusted amid fraud and misuse; ensuring policy remains community-led and globally interoperable while responding to new regulatory expectations; and helping networks modernise (IPv6, secure routing) without disrupting existing services.

Another practical challenge is that Internet infrastructure development is uneven; some markets move quickly, while others need targeted support to avoid long-term technical debt.

How is the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 progressing, and what milestones remain?

The transition is well underway globally, but it remains uneven across countries. Many operators run dual stack and are increasing IPv6 capability, yet full transition is a long game because IPv4 dependencies persist in enterprise networks, legacy applications, and parts of public-sector infrastructure.

Key milestones ahead include: making IPv6 the default across more access networks; expanding IPv6 readiness across enterprise and government platforms; improving operational confidence (training, tooling, troubleshooting); and ensuring security practices.

What role does RIPE NCC play in strengthening internet security and resilience?

We strengthen security and resilience by protecting the Internet’s technical core. On routing security, we operate and promote RPKI so network operators can cryptographically validate route origins and reduce the impact of hijacks and leaks. On resilience, we support better interconnection and diversity (ASNs, multihoming, peering practices), and we contribute to DNS resilience through operating K-root.

We also provide measurement and data services that help operators and policymakers understand real-world Internet performance and risks, supporting evidence-based decisions rather than assumptions.

How does the organisation collaborate with governments, service providers, and the technical community?

Our model is collaboration by design: policies come from the community through open participation, and we implement them neutrally and transparently.

With governments and regulators, we focus on sharing knowledge, capacity building, technical briefings, and data-driven insights to support enabling policy and avoid unintended harm to Internet operations.

With operators and service providers, we work through training, operational best practices, and community platforms. We also formalise cooperation where useful, such as through our Joint Declaration with the ITU on promoting Internet infrastructure, IPv6 deployment, and capacity building, and MoUs we sign with governments and regulatory authorities to strengthen scalable, secure, resilient digital ecosystems and skills development aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

What are the strategic priorities for RIPE NCC in the coming years, and how do they align with evolving internet infrastructure needs?

Our priorities track the Internet’s most pressing infrastructure needs:

• Accelerate IPv6 as the foundation for future growth and innovation.
• Scale routing security to improve trust and resilience in global routing.
• Maintain high-integrity registry services and trusted data, essential for operational stability and accountability.
• Invest in measurement, transparency, and evidence-based insight so communities and policymakers can make better decisions.
• Deepen inclusive capacity-building and partnerships, ensuring that progress isn’t limited to a few advanced markets and that the Internet remains open, interoperable, and globally connected.

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