A/RES/56/159 including electoral commission staff, and observers, as well as through contributions to the United Nations Trust Fund for Electoral Observation, Welcoming also the contributions made by international and regional organizations and also by non-governmental organizations to enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine elections and the promotion of democratization, Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on United Nations activities aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine elections, 3 1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General;3 2. Commends the electoral assistance provided upon request to Member States by the United Nations, and requests that such assistance continue on a caseby-case basis in accordance with the evolving needs of requesting countries to develop, improve and refine their electoral institutions and processes, recognizing that the fundamental responsibility of organizing free and fair elections lies with Governments; 3. Requests the Electoral Assistance Division of the Department of Political Affairs of the Secretariat, in its role as coordinator of United Nations electoral assistance, to continue to inform Member States regularly about the requests received and the nature of any assistance provided; 4. Requests that the United Nations continue its efforts to ensure, before undertaking to provide electoral assistance to a requesting State, that there is adequate time to organize and carry out an effective mission for providing such assistance, including the provision of long-term technical cooperation, that conditions exist to allow free and fair elections and that the results of the mission will be reported comprehensively and consistently; 5. Recommends that, throughout the entire electoral process time-span, including before and after elections, as appropriate, based on needs assessment missions, the United Nations continue to provide technical advice and other assistance to requesting States and electoral institutions in order to help to strengthen their democratic processes; 6. Notes with satisfaction the comprehensive coordination between the Electoral Assistance Division and the United Nations Development Programme, and encourages further engagement of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in this context; 7. Requests the United Nations Development Programme to continue its governance assistance programmes in cooperation with other relevant organizations, in particular those that strengthen democratic institutions and linkages between civil society and Governments; 8. Reiterates the importance of reinforced coordination within and outside the United Nations system in this regard; 9. Notes with appreciation additional efforts being made to enhance cooperation with other international, governmental and non-governmental organizations in order to facilitate more comprehensive and needs-specific _______________ 3 2 A/56/344.