A/RES/57/221 1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General; 3 2. Also welcomes the efforts of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to make the promotion of the rule of law a priority in its technical cooperation programmes; 3. Notes with appreciation the increasing number of Member States seeking assistance in strengthening and consolidating the rule of law, which indicates the growing awareness of its importance, and the support provided to these States through the technical cooperation programme of the Office of the High Commissioner, as outlined in the report of the Secretary-General; 4. Praises the efforts made by the Office of the High Commissioner to accomplish its ever-increasing tasks, in a wide range of areas, with the limited financial and personnel resources at its disposal; 5. Expresses its deep concern about the scarcity of means at the disposal of the Office of the High Commissioner for the fulfilment of its tasks; 6. Notes with concern that the United Nations Programme of Advisory Services and Technical Assistance in the Field of Human Rights does not have sufficient funds to provide any substantial financial assistance to national projects that have a direct impact on the realization of human rights and the maintenance of the rule of law in countries that are committed to those ends but are lacking the necessary means and resources; 7. Welcomes the deepening of the ongoing cooperation between the Office of the High Commissioner and other relevant bodies and programmes of the United Nations system, with a view to enhancing the system-wide coordination of assistance in human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and in this context notes the cooperation between the United Nations Development Programme and the Office of the High Commissioner in providing technical assistance, at the request of States, in the promotion of the rule of law; 8. Also welcomes the assistance of the Office of the High Commissioner in the design of human rights components of United Nations peace operations and in providing advice once they are formed, including in the field of the rule of law; 9. Reaffirms that the Office of the High Commissioner remains the focal point for coordinating system-wide attention for human rights, democracy and the rule of law; 10. Encourages the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue the dialogue between his Office and other organs and agencies of the United Nations system, taking into account the need to explore new synergies with a view to obtaining increased financial assistance for human rights and the rule of law and to promoting inter-agency coordination, funding and allocation of responsibilities in order to improve efficiency and complementarity of action concerning, inter alia, assistance to States in strengthening the rule of law; 11. Also encourages the High Commissioner to continue to explore the possibility of further contact with and support from the international financial institutions, acting within their mandates, with a view to obtaining the technical and financial means to strengthen the capacity of his Office to provide assistance to _______________ 3 2 A/57/275.