A/HRC/23/16 that the Nepal office and the human rights component in Timor-Leste had closed. To support further the countries in the region in the area of human rights, the Board recommended considering strengthening the capacity of the OHCHR Regional Office in Bangkok. 19. The Board noted the recent developments in the field presences in the Europe and Central Asia region, as well as the challenges, including political, human, financial and administrative constraints, in the implementation of priorities in the region. The Board was also updated on the activities of the stand-alone office in Kosovo, the situation of human rights advisers in South Caucasus (Georgia), the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, and the important work done in the region with regard to thematic issues. 20. The Board was briefed on the situation of the human rights component of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, the situation of human rights advisers in Ecuador, Nicaragua and Paraguay, and the situation of country offices in Bolivia (Plurinational State of) and Mexico. The Board acknowledged the challenges faced in all these different countries and welcomed the achievements made in the field. 21. The Board received an overview of OHCHR work relating to humanitarian crisis, rapid response and United Nations peace support missions, as well as the role of the Office and challenges faced with regard to providing support to different commissions of inquiry. 22. The Board was updated on issues relating to national human rights institutions , including the legal and technical assistance provided to them and the Subcommittee on Accreditation of the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions, as well as regional trends and mechanisms. The Board noted the importance of ensuring the true independence of national human rights institutions in full compliance with the Paris Principles, and the strategic value of developing and investing in such institutions as part of United Nations efforts to strengthen national human rights protection systems. It welcomed the support of OHCHR for the establishment and strengthening on national human rights institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles, and encouraged OHCHR to extend that support. 23. The Board recognized and emphasized the strategic importance of the cooperation between OHCHR and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at the country level by all types of United Nations human rights field presences, and stressed the value of partnerships with regional human rights mechanisms. The Board welcomed and was encouraged by the strategic value and partnerships with national human rights institutions and by continuing efforts to strengthen the collaborative efforts between those institutions and UNDP in advancing the mandate of OHCHR. 24. The Board received presentations from the Human Rights Council and Special Procedures Division of OHCHR on the latest developments with regard to the end of the first cycle of the universal periodic review, its process and achievements, the new modalities adopted by the Council for the second cycle, and the follow-up to universal periodic review recommendations. 25. The Board also met with the High Commissioner and briefed her on its findings, in particular with regard to the Board’s concern to ensure funding for the most important of the many new requests for human rights advisers that the Office was receiving. The Board also recommended exploring the possibility of having strong regional offices as part of the Office’s strategic plan to engage with countries. 6