A/HRC/7/69 page 17 67. OHCHR NIU regularly provides special procedure mandate holders with information concerning the work of NHRIs in the preparation of their country missions. Increasingly, mandate holders look to NHRIs for assistance in ensuring that their recommendations are followed up at the national level. This is an important area of work for NHRIs and should be further encouraged. 68. On 21 June 2007, OHCHR organized a side event to the Fourteenth Annual Meeting of Special Procedure mandate holders, focusing on the interaction between NHRIs and Special Procedure mandate holders. The background document for this event (see Annex X) contained concrete recommendations, and was met with overwhelming support by the special procedure mandate holders who attended it, including the Chairperson of the Coordination Committee of Special Procedures (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/chr/special/annual_meetings/14th.htm). III. COOPERATION BETWEEN THE OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, UNITED NATIONS AGENCIES AND PROGRAMMES, AND INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ON NHRIS 69. During the period under review, OHCHR has continued and strengthened its cooperation with UNCT members worldwide. On 2 April 2007, OHCHR sent letters to all United Nations Resident Coordinators together with an information note for UNCTs on practical steps they can take in order to facilitate the establishment or strengthen a NHRI, in close cooperation with OHCHR. NHRIs can be of significant support to the efforts of the United Nations in the areas of good governance, rule of law and human rights, and are central to effective implementation of programmes in these areas, especially with respect to sustainability and national ownership. Several positive responses have been received from UNCTs from different regions of the world and a number of joint activities are being discussed in reaction to that initiative. 70. In its work relating to NHRIs, OHCHR also continued its and strengthened cooperation with the Agence intergouvernementale de la Francophonie, l’Association francophone des Commissions nationales des droits de l’homme, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Council of Europe, OSCE/ODIHR, the Ibero American Federation of Ombudsmen (FIO), the Special Fund for Ombudsmen and National Institutions of Latin America and the Caribbean, the African Union, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). 71. Regarding the Commonwealth Secretariat, OHCHR participated in meetings of the Conference and Steering Committee meetings, in February and May 2007, respectively, regarding the setting up of a Commonwealth forum of NHRIs, the primary purpose of which is to serve as a platform to strengthen the capacity of NHRIs to protect and promote human rights within the Commonwealth while avoiding duplication of efforts with existing regional NHRI coordinating bodies. It was agreed that one of the main objectives of the forum will be the promotion of increased access, dialogue and interaction of NHRIs with Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings (CHOGM).