UN refugee chief hopeful about Washington partnership after reports of possible split with Trump administration

GENEVA, July 28 - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih said on Tuesday he was hopeful that the organisation’s partnership with Washington would continue after reports of a possible split with the Trump administration.

"The United States has been a very important, vital partner to UNHCR for decades. That partnership remains as vital as ever and we are hopeful that this partnership will continue," he told reporters.

"We are in touch with U.S. colleagues and we continue our conversations."

Earlier, diplomats had told Reuters that the risk of a split had been averted, citing successful efforts by U.N. officials and others.

The United States has historically been the largest donor to the U.N. refugee agency, which provides aid to millions of displaced people around the world and oversees a 75-year-old convention that guarantees their legal protections. REUTERS