Former Iraqi President Barham Salih Selected as New UNHCR Chief

Former Iraqi President Barham Salih has been chosen as the next High Commissioner for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), replacing Italy’s Filippo Grandi, who has served in the role since 2016. The development was reported Friday, 12 December, citing a letter signed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, according to Reuters.

Guterres confirmed in a 11 December letter that Salih’s five-year term is scheduled to begin on 1 January, pending approval from the UNHCR Executive Committee. The letter noted that the appointment remains provisional until formal endorsement. It also stated that Salih has been designated for the term beginning 1 January 2026, reflecting procedural wording that still requires committee confirmation.

Salih’s nomination marks a significant break from UNHCR’s long-standing tradition of selecting chiefs from major donor nations, particularly European countries. More than half of the agency’s previous heads hailed from Europe. This time, about a dozen candidates competed for the position, including several European politicians, an IKEA executive, a medical professional and a television personality.

A prominent Kurdish political figure, Barham Salih served as Iraq’s president from 2018 to 2022. He previously held posts as prime minister of the Kurdistan region and as Iraq’s deputy prime minister.