Scores of world leaders or their representatives were in Johannesburg today on the eve of a top-level debate on the world's future, crowning the 10-day Earth Summit.
Forty-five heads of state or government or their ministerial stand-ins were scheduled to have arrived this morning. the organisers of the mammoth meeting said.
They included Brazilian President Mr Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Danish Prime Minister Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen, whose country chairs the European Union, Ukrainian President Mr Leonid Kuchma and Zimbabwean President Mr Robert Mugabe as well as UN Secretary General Mr Kofi Annan and Commonwealth Secretary General Mr Don McKinnon.
President Jacques Chirac of France was to arrive late today, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair would fly in early tomorrow from Mozambique, their delegations said.
Other leaders scheduled to attend include Prime Minister Zhu Rongji of China, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and the Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov.
The debate ends on Wednesday, when the summit is due to issue a declaration affirming political commitment sustainable, and a lengthy, but non-binding, plan of action.
US President George W Bush will be a notable absentee. He is sending Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell, who is due to speak on Wednesday.
AFP