Emerging economies have ramped up their campaign to finally secure the World Bank (WB) top post, possibly strengthening their efforts by fielding a single candidate.

The WB presidency has been traditionally held by the United States, said to be part of an informal arrangement with Europe, which in turn gets to capture the managing directorship of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

But the set-up has been lately opposed by developing nations, with Australia, Brazil, China and India lending their support on efforts to alter the composition of the WB leadership, their window of opportunity presented itself when the global lender's American head retired recently.

In a news conference held at Brasilia, Brazil on Thursday, former Colombian Finance Minister Jose Antonio Ocampo presented himself as the likely alternative from the usual WB leadership rotation that ends up being occupied by an American.

Media reports indicated that Mr Ocampo is actively campaigning to win the backing of key Latin American economies, with his presence in the Brazilian financial capital affirming his push to get the nod of the region's hottest economy.

Brazil has recently voiced out its interest of seeing the region it belongs to enjoying greater influence in global financial issues, starting with other nations controlling the World Bank leadership, which relies heavily on contributions from member-countries.

It is highly possible that the region will choose a common candidate for the WB presidency, Brazil said, adding that it hopes to gather sufficient support from developing nations to back the region's leadership thrust.

Emerging from his meeting with Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega, Mr Ocampo hinted that leaders in the region have been positioning to strengthen its bid for the WB top seat.

"We are all keeping an eye on how much support the United States has and also looking for ways to have a single candidate for developing nations," Mr Ocampo was quoted by Reuters as saying during the news briefing on Thursday.

Should he succeed in attracting the support of the economic bloc, Mr Ocampo will be locked in a three-way contest against U.S.-backed Jim Yong Kim, an American citizen of Korean descent, and Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria.

Mr Kim, whom Reuters said has made a career delivering AIDS and tuberculosis interventions to impoverished nations, reportedly enjoys the vote of major world economies like Japan and Mexico when both the World Bank and the IMF bring together representatives of their member-nations in Washington next week.

The U.S. candidate, based on media reports, is almost certain of getting the nod of the European bloc, boosting his chances of heading the global lender, with the U.S. again retaining 'control' of the global financial body.

Also, Mr Okonjo-Iweala has reportedly emerged as the most viable second option in the unlikely event that Mr Kim's candidacy fizzles out.

Mr Ocampo appears supportive of Mr Okonjo-Iweala, who he described as equally qualified like him to manage the international financial institution.

He stressed that both he and the Nigerian candidate were more prepared to take on the job when elected considering their background and experience as against that of Mr Kim, whose main discipline has been focused on the health department.

Mr Ocampo, however, rejected suggestions that he make way for Mr Okonjo-Iweala just so to thwart the U.S. from keeping the WB top post, insisting that the appropriate procedure must be observed.

"That's above me because this is a process that has to do with the ministers and they have to coordinate what position they will take," the Colombian contender said.