DURBAN. South Africa, Nov 10: As senior officials of Commonwealth countries meet in Durban tomorrow to thrash out the details of the summit agenda. Bangladesh’s Farooq Sobhan is in Johannesburg busy with last-minute lobbying while attending .the Business Forum in the South African commercial capital.

The two-day Commonwealth Business Forum, ending today, Nas brought together top trade and investment officials and corporate chiefs along with several heads of government including the host President Thabo Mbeki.

Sobhan, making a presentation along with the heads of government, spoke of developing strong programmes to combat poverty as he presented his "ideas and suggestions" in presence of severaTof the voters who c5st their ballots Friday (Nov 12) afternoon in a closed-door session.

Sobhan mentioned the success story of Grameen Bank in its poverty-reducing efforts In Bangladesh.

In what is known as straw poll, the heads of government will personally cast votes to

choose the successor to the Commonwealth Secretary-general Chief Emeka Anyaoku between Sobhan, one of Bangladesh's most celebrated diplomats, and Don Mcklnnon. New Zealand's foreign minister.

But tradition has it that the 54-nation organisation’s chief executive is chosen by consensus. which means the loser in the straw poll will step aside paving the way for a "unanimous" decision.

On the last leg of his long campaign trail? Boahan toured

12 African countries carrying letters from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as her special envoy, before arriving in South

Throughout Africa, the responses have been very encouraging." Sobhan said, speaking to The Daily Star from Johannesburg.

"There’s a strong support in Africa that the new Secretary-general should be from Asia and from a developing country." he said-

• Sobhan. pitted against the mighty opponent in Mckinnon. has skilfully played the Asian card telling the member countries that all three chief executives have sb far been non-Asians.

He has also argued that the position should be filled in by someone from a developing country with the broadened Commonwealth agenda in the wake of the new millennium.

There are strong arguments in support of small states and their issues such as poverty alleviation," Sobhan explained, referring to Mbeki's speech to the opening session of the Business Forum.In one of many fringe events ahead of the November 12-14 summit, an international conference on small states takes place tomorrow here in Durban.

As the high-profile campaign reaches its peak, there have been suggestions that the two tough contenders be allowed to personally present their cases to the heads of government before the vote takes place, top Commonwealth officials here said.

If accepted, this would be a major shift from tradition in the 50th year of the London Declaration which gave birth to the modern Commonwealth.

"I feel the democratic principles should equally be applied to all areas. There's a need for the Commonwealth to be on sound democratic principles ... if it is applicable to the national context it should be to the multilateral context as well." Sobhan said, commenting on the possibility of both candidates appearing before the heads of governments.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrives tomorrow to attend the summit while the team of senior officials is already in Durban for tomorrow's meeting.