A/RES/53/148 Page 2 Recalling that the World Conference on Human Rights recommended that more resources be made available for the strengthening of regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights under the programme of technical cooperation in the field of human rights of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Reaffirming that regional arrangements play a fundamental role in promoting and protecting human rights and should reinforce universal human rights standards, as contained in international human rights instruments, and their protection, Noting the progress achieved so far in the promotion and protection of human rights at the regional level under the auspices of the United Nations, the specialized agencies and the regional intergovernmental organizations, Noting also the expansion, since 1993, of the technical cooperation programme of the Office of the High Commissioner upon the request of the Member States concerned, and the crucial importance of sharing information and experience and developing and strengthening national capacities for the promotion and protection of human rights, Noting further that national institutions can make an important contribution to the ongoing process of developing regional human rights arrangements, including in areas such as human rights education, mutual cooperation and information sharing, 1. Takes note with satisfaction of the report of the Secretary-General;4 2. Welcomes the continuing cooperation and assistance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the further strengthening of the existing regional arrangements and regional machinery for the promotion and protection of human rights, in particular through technical cooperation which is aimed at national capacity-building, public information and education, with a view to exchanging information and experience in the field of human rights; 3. Also welcomes, in that respect, the close cooperation of the Office of the High Commissioner in the organization of regional and subregional training courses and workshops in the field of human rights, highlevel government expert meetings and regional conferences of national human rights institutions, aimed at creating greater understanding of the promotion and protection of human rights issues in the regions, improving procedures and examining the various systems for the promotion and protection of universally accepted human rights standards and at identifying obstacles to ratification of the principal international human rights treaties and strategies to overcome them; 4. Stresses the importance of the programme of technical cooperation in the field of human rights, renews its appeal to all Governments to consider making use of the possibilities offered by the United Nations, under this programme, of organizing information or training courses at the national level for government personnel on the application of international human rights standards and the experience of relevant international bodies, and notes with satisfaction, in that respect, the establishment of technical cooperation projects with Governments of all regions; 4 A/53/324. /...