28/02/2007 (Agence Europe) - Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Karen Koning AbuZayd, general commissioner for the UN's Relief Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), signed a common declaration on Wednesday 28 February in Ramallah on European aid to UNRWA for 2007-10. The Community contribution to the UNRWA General Fund is expected to be €264 million over the next four years, which represents a 7% increase in comparison with the previous period. An initial contribution of €66 million for 2007 is already on its way. The Commissioner affirmed that, “the Palestine refugees issue is high on our agenda for the region and we will ensure that it will be dealt with during final status negotiations”. Established in 1949, UNRWA provides today education, healthcare, social services, and emergency aid to 4.3 million Palestinian refugees living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan. (hb)