Admission as an FAO member country is by secret ballot and requires a two-thirds majority. Admission of the five countries would bring total FAO membership to 180 countries plus one Organization, the European Community. Two candidates have been nominated by their countries. They are Argentine Ambassador to Sweden, Juan Carlos Vignaud and the current FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf from Senegal. According to FAO's Basic Texts, the Organization's Director-General is elected by a majority of votes cast by Member Nations.
Voting is carried out by secret ballot.
The Director-General has submitted three budget scenarios to the Conference. A special edition of Food Outlook will be released to delegates on Monday 15 November. In addition to the election of the Director General of FAO for six years and the vote on the 2000-2001 Budget, Member States will examine the World State of Food and Agriculture.