Former Iraq President Barham Salih elected as UN refugee agency head
Public Lokpal
December 19, 2025
Former Iraq President Barham Salih elected as UN refugee agency head
United Nations: The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday elected Barham Salih, a former Iraqi president who fled persecution under Saddam Hussein, as the next U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Salih was elected without a vote by the 193-member assembly after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres nominated him to succeed Italy’s Filippo Grandi, who has led the agency since 2016
Salih will begin a five year term on January 1, 2026 .
Reuters