A/HRC/40/78 the Board has started sharing with OHCHR the lessons learned and experiences gathered that could serve to advance its technical cooperation programmes around a number of themes identified as frontier issues in the new OHCHR programme. 8. In its resolution 39/18, the Human Rights Council noted again with appreciation the contribution of the Board through its annual reports, in particular to the components of technical cooperation. The Board very much welcomes this acknowledgement and in particular the appreciation expressed for its identification of good practices. The sharing of good practices continues to encourage States to approach and partner with OHCHR to receive advisory services and technical assistance in the field of human rights. The Board notes with appreciation that during the discussions in the Human Rights Council, there is now a wider understanding of technical cooperation and also public recognition by States of the important support they receive from OHCHR. 9. In line with its mandate, the Board has actively participated in a number of outreach events that were jointly organized during the period under review together with the OHCHR External Outreach Service. II. Activities of the Voluntary Fund and the Board of Trustees 10. The Board held its forty-sixth session in Colombia from 9 to 13 April 2018 and its forty-seventh session in the regional office for South America in Santiago de Chile from 27 to 29 November 2018. The sessions were chaired by Mariclaire Acosta Urquidi and Morten Kjaerum respectively. The Board reviewed the status of implementation of the work and cost plan for the Voluntary Fund, reviewed in detail the programmes covered by the Fund and formally endorsed them. 11. The Chair of the Board met the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva in November. A. Forty-sixth session (Colombia) 12. In accordance with its practice of holding one of its two meetings each year in a Member State where OHCHR has a field presence, the Board held its forty-sixth session in Colombia to observe in situ the role and comparative and collaborative advantages of OHCHR, to identify better the type of technical cooperation that OHCHR provides and to give relevant guidance. The Board also learned about specific and locally based OHCHR projects. It noted the importance of the complementary role of OHCHR vis-à-vis the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia by keeping human rights at the forefront of the peace agenda. It also noted the excellent partnership forged with the Mission and the critical role that OHCHR is expected to keep playing through its solid monitoring and advocacy. Its monitoring and advocacy role was referred to as “a crucial foundation” for other actors to build on in their various programmes and support services. 13. The Board had an excellent opportunity to observe once again at first hand the type of technical cooperation that OHCHR is best placed to offer, starting with and based upon the results of its monitoring role. It uses its highly qualified technical expertise and close interactions and engagement with all actors on the ground to establish the necessary trust to gather evidence-based information and credible, validated data on the human rights situation and challenges affecting the daily lives of the people. It subsequently analyses the information and data from a prevention-based angle and advises the relevant State authorities and other key actors on effective policies, programmes and measures to promote and protect human rights. 14. The work of OHCHR in Colombia confirms the type of technical cooperation and advisory services that it is best placed to provide. It is solidly anchored in a sound understanding of the problems, capacity and behavioural challenges on the ground through sustained monitoring and daily presence across the country, with full access to and cooperation with all actors. The Board observed directly how OHCHR accompanied and practically supported the institutions and partners in their efforts to ensure integration of all 3

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