By John Lee.
The United Nations General Assembly has elected Barham Ahmed Salih of Iraq as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), for a five-year term. He will succeed Filippo Grandi of Italy and is expected to assume office on 1 January 2026, based in Geneva.
A statement from the office of the UNHCR said the appointment followed a competitive selection process and comes at a time of record global displacement and increasing pressure on humanitarian resources. Salih previously served as President of Iraq from 2018 to 2022 and has held senior roles including Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government and Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the decision, thanking Grandi for a decade of leadership at the agency. UNHCR said Salih brings extensive diplomatic and administrative experience, as well as first-hand experience as a former refugee.
In a statement following his election, Salih said his priorities would include protecting the rights and dignity of refugees, strengthening operational effectiveness, and working with governments and partners to deliver durable solutions.
UNHCR currently operates in 128 countries, with the majority of its more than 14,600 staff deployed in the field.
Full statement from the UN Secretary General, António Guterres:
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres welcomes today’s action by the General Assembly to elect Barham Ahmed Salih of Iraq as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for a term of five years.
Mr. Salih will succeed Filippo Grandi of Italy, to whom the Secretary-General expressed his utmost gratitude for his leadership and tireless efforts in protecting refugees, displaced persons and stateless people.
Having served as President of Iraq (2018-2022), with a career spanning more than three decades of governmental service in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, Mr. Salih brings senior diplomatic, political and administrative leadership experience, including engagement with international and regional institutions, with human rights and humanitarian vision and experience, including as refugee, crisis negotiator and architect of national reforms.
He served twice as Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (2001-2004; 2009-2012) and as Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq (2004-2009), concurrently serving as Minister of Planning (2004-2006). He played a central role in Iraq’s post-2003 reconstruction and economic recovery, including negotiation of the International Compact with Iraq with the United Nations and the World Bank.
Mr. Salih currently serves as a Senior Fellow (non-resident) at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, United States and as Leadership Fellow (non-resident) at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C, United States.
Founder and Chairman of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS), Mr. Salih holds a PhD in Statistics and Computer Applications in Engineering from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom and a BSc in Civil Engineering from Cardiff University, United Kingdom. In addition to his native Kurdish and Arabic, he is fluent in English.
Full statement from incoming UNHCR, Dr. Barham Salih:
I am honoured to have been elected as the incoming United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. As a former refugee, I know first-hand how protection and opportunity can change the course of a life. That experience will inform a leadership approach grounded in empathy, pragmatism, and a principled commitment to international law. My foremost responsibility will be to refugees and others forced to flee – upholding their rights and dignity and advancing durable solutions so that displacement remains a temporary situation, not a permanent fate.
At a time of record displacement and severe pressure on humanitarian resources, delivering on UNHCR’s mandate requires a renewed focus on impact, accountability, and efficiency. This is a shared responsibility. UNHCR will build on the important reforms undertaken in recent years to strengthen operational effectiveness and value for money. I will work with Member States and partners across the public, private, and philanthropic sectors to mobilize the capacity, resources, and collective will needed to reach those most in need.
I am grateful to the Secretary-General, António Guterres, and to the General Assembly for their confidence, and to Filippo Grandi for his principled and tireless leadership during a period of extraordinary global challenge.
I look forward to working closely with UNHCR’s dedicated staff, states, partners, host communities, and, most importantly, refugees themselves to advance protection and durable solutions fit for both the promise and the perils of the 21st century.
(Source: United Nations)
