A/HRC/41/29 Donor Contribution Biennium 2016–2017 France Germany Kazakhstan Norway Paraguay Republic of Korea 22 753 221 631 10 000 475 367 3 000 50 000 Saudi Arabia 150 000 Spain 111 485 United Arab Emirates 100 000 2018 France 23 229 Germany 124 224 Norway 357 270 Pakistan 3 000 Republic of Korea 50 000 Russian Federation 200 000 Saudi Arabia Singapore Spain Total contributions 70 000 5 000 56 818 6 211 158 46. Since the establishment of the Voluntary Fund in 2009 until the end of 2018, 16 States had made financial contributions: Australia, Colombia, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (see table 2). 47. The strengthening of the financial basis of the Voluntary Fund is a positive trend, and one that shows the increasing importance that States attach to the implementation of recommendations arising from the universal periodic review and the reception of dedicated support for that task. Continued donations to the Fund and a widening of the donor base are both crucial to further solidify the long-term sustainability of universal periodic reviewrelated technical cooperation, both during the third but also well into future review cycles. V. Final considerations 48. The Secretary-General, in his report on strengthening United Nations action in the field of human rights (A/72/351), stated that the increased focus on the follow-up to and implementation of recommendations made by human rights mechanisms provided the United Nations system with an opportunity to engage with Member States. International cooperation, including through human rights mechanisms and their recommendations, provided an important basis for States to achieve greater results in both the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and human rights protection at the country level. Technical assistance in the field of human rights should be based on such recommendations and be provided in closer cooperation and partnership with Member States, regional human rights mechanisms, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and the wider United Nations system. 49. Recommendations of human rights mechanisms, in particular universal periodic review recommendations that are accepted by the State, are one of the best entry points for United Nations system-wide engagement at the national level. The operationalization of the 11