28/02/2019 (Agence Europe) – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced on Wednesday 27 February the signing of an agreement for a new EU contribution of €82 million to support the Agency's budget programme for 2019. “In light of the Agency's ongoing financial challenges, the EU has agreed to provide the totality of its funding immediately upon the signature of the agreement”, UNRWA explained in a statement issued after the signing. According to the Agency, this new support will contribute, among other things, to preserving access to education for 532,000 children, providing primary health care to more than 3.5 million patients and assistance to more than 250,000 extremely vulnerable Palestinian refugees. In 2018, the EU became the Agency's largest donor, according to the Agency. For 2018, EU support to UNRWA amounted to €153 million. (CG)