Botswana is among four countries which have been short-listed to host the sixth conference of the Commonwealth Local Governments Forum ÔÇô officials have said.
The country is vying against India, Uganda and Britain, Carl Wright, the forum secretary general, revealed on Wednesday.
The bi-annual conference attracts local government chairpersons, ministers, and other policy-makers from the 53 countries of the Commonwealth.
The three-day conference is slated for 2011 and aside diplomatic considerations, it also has economic benefits to the hosting nation.
Wright said 12 countries had applied to host the conference but only four were short-listed.
The forum’s secretariat is yet to decide on where it should be, he added.
He was meeting officials of the Uganda Local Governments Association at their headquarters in Najjanankumbi on Entebbe Road. According to New Vision newspaper of Uganda, Wright commended the Government and President Yoweri Museveni for successfully hosting CHOGM in 2007 and for setting up a decentralisation system, which he said was a role model in Africa.
He called for democracy and strong leadership in local governments in order to speed up development.
