Barham Salih begins tenure as UN refugee chief, vows focus on protection and solutions

NEWSROOM — Iraqi Kurdish politician Barham Salih said Thursday he has begun his tenure as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, pledging to work with partners and host countries to protect refugees and confront widening displacement crises.

“Today I begin my tenure as High Commissioner for @Refugees,” Salih wrote in a post on X. “Guided by our shared humanity and legal mandate, we will work with our partners and host nations, to protect refugees, deliver durable solutions, and confront the displacement crises affecting millions of people,” he added.

Salih was appointed to lead the U.N. refugee agency late last year after a selection process led by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and confirmation by the U.N. General Assembly.

His appointment comes as humanitarian agencies warn of sustained displacement pressures driven by conflict, political instability and economic shocks in multiple regions.

Salih served as president of Iraq from 2018 to 2022 and previously held senior posts in both the Kurdistan Region and the federal government, including prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government and deputy prime minister.

Born in 1960 in Sulaymaniyah, Salih holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a doctorate in statistics and computer applications in engineering from universities in the United Kingdom. He is also the founder of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani.

Salih left Iraq for the United Kingdom in the late 1970s after facing political persecution under Saddam Hussein’s regime.