A/HRC/29/21 a 3. Includes disbursements and obligations. Since the establishment of the Fund, 15 countries have made financial contributions. 4. Since the Fund has not enjoyed a predictable pattern of income, substantial resources are systematically kept as a reserve for future activities; the secretariat of the Fund has been responsive to all requests, in line with the Fund’s terms of reference, to enable participation. III. Activities A. Travel to meetings 5. Under the terms of reference of the Fund, financial support for travel to meetings is made available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to cover travel to Geneva by one official government representative in order to participate: (a) In sessions of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review during which the representative’s country is considered; (b) In plenary sessions of the Human Rights Council during which the outcome of the review of the representative’s country is adopted. 6. The Fund also provides for the travel of official representatives (one per delegation) of developing countries, in particular least developed countries, that are members of the Human Rights Council and do not have a permanent mission in Geneva, to act as rapporteurs (namely, members of the troika). 7. In addition to travel costs, the Fund also provides for the payment of a daily subsistence allowance at the rate applicable to Geneva at the time of travel. Under the standing official provisions for such travel, a Government formally requesting this assistance would be advised of the official entitlements for travel and daily subsistence allowance in connection with the required itinerary, which would be reimbursed upon completion of the travel and provision of the necessary supporting documentation. This arrangement, however, proved onerous for many requesting Governments, and since they were unable to submit the claims documenting their travels they were not reimbursed. In an effort to address this issue, since the seventeenth session of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (21 October–1 November 2013), the secretariat has arranged to provide the economy class tickets prior to travel, and payment of the daily subsistence allowance upon arrival in Geneva, thereby alleviating most of the difficulties associated with retroactive reimbursement of expenses. 8. Direct ticketing does, however, require more advance planning since Governments are required to designate their delegate with lead time sufficient to enable the secretariat to make the travel arrangements and issue the ticket in accordance with the United Nations official travel policies. In cases where such direct ticketing is not possible, the previous arrangement for retroactive reimbursement of travel expenses is still provided. 9. A total of 15 States reviewed in 2014 requested financial assistance for travel to the sessions of the Working Group at which they were reviewed. Of those, eight were least developed countries or small island developing States. Five States, of which four were least developed countries or small island developing States, requested financial assistance for travel to attend the session of the Human Rights Council for the adoption of the outcome of their review. Of the 15 States, 14 have already received reimbursement for their expenditures. 3