GENEVA: Barham Salih, a former Iraqi president who fled persecution under Saddam Hussein, has been appointed the next UN High Commissioner for Refugees, breaking the tradition of selecting leaders mainly from major European donor nations.
A letter from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, dated Dec. 11, confirmed Salih’s five-year term starting Jan. 1, pending UNHCR committee approval. He will succeed Italy’s Filippo Grandi, who has led the agency since 2016.
A UNHCR spokesperson declined comment, while a UN spokesperson said the process was ongoing.
Salih, who studied engineering in Britain to escape Saddam’s rule, served as Iraq’s president from 2018 to 2022.
He takes over as global displacement hits record highs — roughly double the level when Grandi began — while funding falls sharply.
