UN General Assembly elects former Iraqi president as UN High Commissioner for Refugees

HAMILTON, Canada

The UN General Assembly on Thursday elected former Iraqi President Barham Ahmed Salih as the new UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Salih, who will be the first official from the Middle East to hold this position in at least three-quarters of a century, will serve a five-year term starting on January 1st, 2026.

In a statement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed Salih's election and expressed "expressed his utmost gratitude" to the outgoing high commissioner Filippo Grandi for "his leadership and tireless efforts in protecting refugees, displaced persons and stateless people."

Noting Salih's previous political and diplomatic roles, the statement also said: "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."

Grandi also hailed Salih's election, saying he "brings decades of high-level public service, marked by steady leadership and thoughtful diplomacy."

"Coming from a country recently marked by conflict, persecution and displacement, he has first-hand experience of the challenges many refugees face today. His background and experience make him well suited to lead UNHCR at a time of large-scale displacement and increasingly complex humanitarian and political challenges," he added.