UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres and US Assistant Secretary of State Ellen Sauerbrey signed a cooperation agreement for 2008 during a meeting on 29 November 2007.

The Framework for Cooperation is a policy document that defines the priorities and commitments of the UN refugee agency and the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) for cooperation and collaboration throughout the year. The annual accord also acts as a guide to measure impact and performance.

The first such framework cooperation agreement between UNHCR and BPRM – which Sauerbrey heads – was signed in 2000, and the practice has continued as a testament to the mutual confidence and commitment that the two sides have in each other as partners. The US Government continues to be UNHCR's biggest donor.