A/HRC/39/20 42. In November 2017, OHCHR and UNDP organized the second regional consultation of Central Asian national human rights institutions, in the framework of the Central Asia Support Initiative for National Human Rights Institutions. The meeting resulted in the adoption of a statement by the five national human rights institutions regarding their cooperation. In February 2018, during the annual meeting of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, OHCHR, UNDP and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions jointly organized a side event on their tripartite partnership in support of national human rights institutions in Central Asia. In April 2018, OHCHR and UNDP supported the second forum of national preventive mechanisms against torture, organized by the Ombudsman of Kazakhstan for the national human rights institutions in Central Asia. 4. Middle East and North Africa 43. In October 2017, OHCHR participated in the annual meeting of the Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions, held in Algiers, and held bilateral meetings with participating national human rights institutions to discuss the accreditation process and/or further cooperation with a view to strengthening their capacity to discharge their mandate in conformity with international standards. C. 1. Contributions to international initiatives supporting national human rights institutions Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions 44. The Statute of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions provides that its general and Bureau meetings, the meetings of the Subcommittee on Accreditation and international conferences of the Global Alliance shall be held under the auspices of, and in cooperation with, OHCHR. Thus, OHCHR provided financial and substantive support, as well as secretariat services, to the annual meeting of the Global Alliance, in February 2018, its two Bureau meetings, in November 2017 and February 2018, and the two sessions of the Subcommittee on Accreditation (see para. 46 below). 45. As indicated throughout the present report, OHCHR also continued to provide financial support to various projects of the Global Alliance. 2. Subcommittee on Accreditation 46. OHCHR continued to provide substantive support, technical advice and secretariat services to the Subcommittee on Accreditation. During the period under review, the Subcommittee met twice, in November 2017 and May 2018, and reviewed 24 institutions. 3. Fellowship programme for staff of national human rights institutions 47. OHCHR maintains its fellowship programme for staff members of national human rights institutions with A status. Initiated in 2008, the programme is designed to provide fellows with information on and working experience with the international human rights system, and to familiarize them with the work of OHCHR in the promotion and protection of human rights. During the period under review, fellows from the human rights institutions of Albania, Morocco, Nigeria, Serbia, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania participated in the programme. III. Support from the United Nations Development Programme and other United Nations agencies, funds and programmes to national human rights institutions 48. OHCHR, UNDP and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions entered into a strategic tripartite partnership in 2011 to support national human rights institutions at the global, regional and national levels. In line with their mandate, each partner brings specific expertise to the partnership in support of national human rights 8