A/RES/48/131 Page 2 Having considered the report of the Secretary-General, 4/ Noting the high level of requests for electoral assistance by Member States, 1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the SecretaryGeneral 4/ on United Nations activities aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine elections; 2. Commends the electoral assistance provided to Member States at their request by the United Nations, requests that such assistance continue on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the proposed guidelines on electoral assistance, recognizing that the fundamental responsibility for ensuring free and fair elections lies with Governments, and also requests the Electoral Assistance Unit of the Secretariat to inform Member States on a regular basis about the requests received, the responses given to those requests and the nature of the assistance provided; 3. Requests that the United Nations attempt 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, that conditions exist to allow a free and fair election and that provisions can be made for adequate and comprehensive reporting of the results of the mission; 4. Recommends that the United Nations, in order to ensure the continuation and consolidation of the democratization process in Member States requesting assistance, provide assistance before and after elections have taken place, including needs-assessment missions aimed at recommending programmes which might contribute to the consolidation of the democratization process; 5. Recalls the establishment by the Secretary-General of the United Nations Trust Fund for Electoral Observation and the establishment by the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme of a separate fund, the Trust Fund for Technical Assistance to Electoral Processes, and calls upon Member States to consider contributing to the funds; 6. Stresses the importance of coordination by the focal point within the United Nations system, commends the Centre for Human Rights of the Secretariat for the advisory services and technical assistance it provides and the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development of the Secretariat and the United Nations Development Programme for the technical assistance they provide to requesting Member States, and requests the focal point to strengthen its collaboration with the Centre for Human Rights, including through an exchange of personnel when appropriate, and with the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development and the United Nations Development Programme, and inform them of requests submitted in the area of electoral assistance; ___________ 4/ A/48/590. /...