A/HRC/13/61 Nations agencies, and stressed that the strengthening of relations with United Nations country teams represented good progress towards achieving OHCHR objectives at the ground level. A. Africa region 24. The Board was updated on the situation of field presences in the Africa region. It learned about the situation of these countries, the projects and activities funded by the Voluntary Fund, as well as strategies, partners, budget constraints, regional priorities and areas of work within the context of technical cooperation. The Board acknowledged that almost all of the OHCHR thematic priority areas would be addressed in the Africa region. 25. The Board was briefed on the situation of human rights components of United Nations peace missions in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Sudan; on the situation of human rights advisers in Guinea, Kenya, Niger, Rwanda and Somalia; and on the situation of country offices in Togo and Uganda. The Board acknowledged the challenges faced in the different subregions and welcomed the achievements realized. It highlighted the importance of working to develop justice and accountability mechanisms in the region and emphasized the coordination role to be played by human rights advisers in United Nations country teams, including relations with Governments. The Board expressed concern about the capacity-building in the region to deal with all the challenges of migration, discrimination, pursuit of economic, social and cultural rights, conflict, violence and insecurity, and combating impunity. 26. The Board took note of the successful cooperation with regional mechanisms, in particular the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States. The Board was also informed of the creation of the Africa Branch within the OHCHR Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division, which was a positive development and would increase the Office’s capacity to engage with Governments and United Nations counterparts in senior-level policy discussions. B. Middle East and North Africa region 27. The Board received an overview of the situation of human rights field presences in the Middle East and North Africa region. It learned about the projects and activities funded by the Voluntary Fund, including strategies and challenges within the context of technical cooperation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. 28. The Board was updated on the negotiations on establishing a regional office in North Africa, as well as the opening of the United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for South-West Asia and the Arab Region in Qatar in May 2009. The Board welcomed the establishment of the OHCHR office in Mauritania and noted the challenge OHCHR technical cooperation would face in upgrading the judiciary, given that graduates from religious schools are serving as judges in the country. The Board was also updated on emerging human rights mechanisms by the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. The Board was further interested in the issue of impunity, freedom of expression and association and information in the region, welcoming the efforts made despite the challenges faced. C. Asia-Pacific region 29. The Board was updated on human rights developments in the region, especially the situation of the field presences, projects and technical cooperation activities funded by the GE.10-10528 7