News|United NationsFormer Iraqi President Salih slated to lead UN refugee agencySalih, who fled Saddam Hussein’s regime, campaigned for job on basis that he knows what it is like to be a refugee.
Former Iraqi President Barham Salih is set to become the next head of the United Nations refugee agency following a recommendation by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. A formal confirmation is pending approval by the UN General Assembly.
Former Iraqi President Barham Salih is set to become the next head of the United Nations refugee agency following a recommendation by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. A formal confirmation is pending approval by the UN General Assembly.
As of Thu, Jul 17, 2025, a letter from Guterres to Atsuyuki Oike, Japan's top diplomat in Geneva and chair of UNHCR’s executive committee, indicated the appointment, subject to formal approval processes.
If approved, Salih, aged 65, will succeed Filippo Grandi, whose term ends on Dec 31, 2025. Salih will be the first non-Western head of the Geneva-based agency in nearly fifty years.
Alessandra Vellucci, chief spokesperson for the UN office, stated that the appointment requires a consultation process with the UNHCR committee, followed by a decision from the UN General Assembly in New York.
Former Iraqi President Barham Salih is set to become the next head of the United Nations refugee agency following a recommendation by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Salih, originally from Iraq’s Kurdish region, pursued engineering studies in the United Kingdom to escape persecution under Saddam Hussein. He served as Iraqi president from 2018 to 2022. He has expressed a commitment to the UNHCR’s mission, emphasizing the importance of placing refugees at the center of its efforts.
The transition coincides with significant challenges for the UNHCR, which has reduced its 2026 budget by nearly 20% to $8.5 billion, resulting in 5,000 job cuts amid increasing global displacement due to conflicts in regions such as Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine.
Salih intends to expand funding sources, incorporate Islamic finance, and collaborate with private-sector partners through a proposed “Global CEO Humanitarian Council.” He will also address growing Western restrictions on asylum and the frustrations of poorer states hosting refugees.
The last non-Western head of the agency was Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan of Iran, who led the organization from 1966 to 1977.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
