UN Appoints Former Iraqi President as New Refugee Chief

Addis Ababa, December 19, 2025 (ENA) —The UN General Assembly has elected former Iraqi President Barham Ahmed Salih as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He will begin a five-year term on January 1, 2026.

Salih becomes the first leader from the Middle East to head the UN refugee agency in more than 75 years.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the decision and thanked outgoing High Commissioner Filippo Grandi for his long service supporting refugees and displaced people worldwide.

Salih brings decades of political and diplomatic experience, having played a key role in Iraq’s reconstruction after 2003 and working closely with international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank.

Grandi praised Salih’s appointment, noting that his background and personal understanding of conflict and displacement prepare him well to lead UNHCR during a time of growing global refugee crises.