UN headquarters in New York. Former Iraqi President elected new UN High Commissioner for Refugees Refugees and migrants
The UN General Assembly today elected Barham Ahmed Salih, representative of Iraq, as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He will head the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) from January 1, 2026 for a period of five years. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the decision.
Salih will succeed Filippo Grandi of Italy, to whom the UN chief expressed his “deepest gratitude for his leadership and tireless efforts to protect refugees, displaced and stateless persons.”
The new High Commissioner has more than three decades of public service experience in Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan. He served as President of Iraq from 2018-2022, twice as Prime Minister of the Kurdish Regional Government (2001-2004 and 2009-2012), and as Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq from 2004-2009, combining this position with the post of Minister of Planning.
UN Secretary-General emphasizes that Salih has extensive experience in diplomatic, political and administrative leadership, as well as a deep understanding of human rights and humanitarian issues. His track record includes participation in international and regional processes, experience in crisis negotiations and national reforms. He played a key role in the post-war reconstruction of Iraq after 2003.