The former Iraqi president Barham Salih is now the new head of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Himself a former refugee, Salih was elected by consensus by the 193-member General Assembly after being nominated by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
“As a former refugee, I know first-hand how protection and opportunity can change the course of a life,” Salih said.
He fled Iraq during Saddam Hussein’s rule, said his personal experience of displacement would shape his leadership of the agency.
“My experience will inform a leadership approach grounded in empathy, pragmatism, and a principled commitment to international law,” he added.
Guterres welcomed the appointment, praising Salih’s background and experience.
“I welcome the General Assembly’s election of Barham Salih of Iraq as the next UN High Commissioner for Refugees,” the secretary-general said, while paying tribute to Grandi’s leadership during a period marked by escalating humanitarian crises.
Salih said he looked forward to working with UNHCR staff, host governments, donors and refugees themselves to adapt the agency’s work to what he described as the “promise and perils” of the 21st century, as conflicts and climate shocks continue to drive displacement worldwide.
UNHCR which operates in 130 countries is mandated to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people, ensuring access to asylum and safety for those fleeing war, persecution, violence or disaster.
