The 52 leaders of the Commonwealth of Nations are to meet tomorrow in Abuja for a summit designed to promote democracy and development but overshadowed by the threat of a north-south split over Zimbabwe.

Traditionally gentlemanly affairs, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is held once every two years to give the leaders a chance to talk candidly behind closed doors about the problems of the world.

But the suspension of President Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe from the body's council 20 months ago, after he was re-elected in a poll marred by violence and fraud, has triggered deep divisions that threaten to overshadow proceedings.

In the build-up to this year's meet in the Nigeria, the split has taken on the appearance of a quasi-racial divide between the former British colonies in Africa, and the "white Commonwealth" of Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

Some African leaders, most publicly South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, have lobbied for Mugabe to be brought back into the fold, while Australia's Prime Minister John Howard wants Zimbabwe permanently expelled.

The summit's Nigerian host, President Olusegun Obasanjo, came under pressure from both sides in the row and made a last-minute visit to Harare before deciding late in the day not to invite Zimbabwe.

The row, fuelled by high-octane anti-Western rhetoric from Mugabe himself, has at times appeared capable of splitting the Commonwealth.

But yesterday the body's Kiwi secretary general, Don McKinnon, played down the racial angle and said the dispute transcended the north-south divide.

Asked whether, as Mugabe claimed, there was a white alliance out to get at Zimbabwe, he told reporters: "I do reject that.

"I've talked to just about every Commonwealth leader more than once over the past six months. There's variety of views over how to deal with Mugabe, there's by no means a split between Africa and the rest of the world".

He also said that the meeting could produce a "very strong statement" that could help reconcile the rich and poor worlds on another issue - trade - ahead of the next round of WTO talks, which have stalled.

McKinnon himself could, however, fall victim to the argument.

Sri Lanka has proposed its respected former foreign minister, Lakskmi Kadirgamar, to replace McKinnon, in a move reportedly backed - or even orchestrated - by Mbeki.

The delegates will probably be asked to vote on the challenge during the weekend's summit, officials said. Opinion on the outcome was divided amongst Commonwealth insiders. "It could be very close," said one.

Aside from the very public row about Zimbabwe, the Commonwealth is keen to push the poverty alleviation agenda addressed by the main report to be put before delegates: "Making democracy work for pro-poor development".

"We see democracy and development as two sides of the same coin.

Development depends on democracy," said McKinnon, unveiling a report, which could serve as a blueprint for new Commonwealth joint principles of good governance.

He said that in too many countries, in the periods between elections, day-by-day democracy - a free press, responsive local authorities, ombudsmen - go to sleep and democratic values fail to take root in local culture.

"That hibernating democracy will not deliver development to the people," he said.

The CHOGM summit will be declared open tomorrow by the body's symbolic head, Queen Elizabeth II, and continue until Monday.

Part of the event will be unique two-day "retreat" in which the leaders will be closeted behind closed doors for a meeting, which the Commonwealth secretariant says "encourages informal and honest discussions". – Sapa-AFP.