A/RES/58/180 Welcoming the support provided by States to the electoral assistance activities of the United Nations, inter alia, through the provision of electoral experts, 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 and the promotion of democratization, 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 case-by-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; Requests the Electoral Assistance Division of the Department of Political 3. 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; Requests that the United Nations continue its efforts to ensure, before 4. 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 a free and fair election and that the mission’s results will be reported comprehensively and consistently; Recommends that, throughout the time span of the entire electoral 5. process, 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; Notes with appreciation additional efforts being made to enhance 6. cooperation with other international, governmental and non-governmental organizations in order to facilitate more comprehensive and needs-specific responses to requests for electoral assistance, and encourages those organizations to share knowledge and experience in order to promote best practices in the assistance they provide and in the reporting they make on electoral processes, and expresses its appreciation to those Member States, regional organizations and non-governmental organizations that have provided observers or technical experts in support of United Nations electoral assistance efforts; Recalls the establishment by the Secretary-General of the United Nations 7. Trust Fund for Electoral Observation, and calls upon Member States to consider contributing to the Fund; _______________ 3 2 A/58/212.