Kurdistan
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani (left) in a meeting withBarham Salih, the newly-appointed UNHCR chief. File photo: Kurdistan Region Presidency.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Friday congratulated former Iraqi president Barham Salih on his election as the head of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).
“Being appointed to such a high international position demonstrates the international community’s trust in his [Barham Salih] abilities, experience, and political and diplomatic stature,” President Barzani said in a statement.
He added that Salih’s appointment as UN High Commissioner for Refugees is “a source of pride for both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, as he will lead one of the world’s most important humanitarian organizations.”
Barzani also highlighted Salih’s extensive experience, saying it would enable him to “play an effective role in alleviating the plight of refugees and addressing their challenges worldwide.”
“We in Kurdistan understand the pain of displacement and the significance of this mission better than anyone else,” the president noted.
The United Nations General Assembly approved Salih on Thursday as the next UN High Commissioner for Refugees, making him the first Middle Eastern leader to hold the post since the late 1970s.
Salih, 65, was elected by consensus by the Assembly’s 193 member states to succeed Filippo Grandi, whose second term ends on December 31. Salih will begin his five-year term on January 1, 2026.
“I am honoured to have been elected as the incoming United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,” Salih said in a post on X. “As a former refugee, I know first-hand how protection and opportunity can change the course of a life.”
According to UNHCR, Salih was selected through a competitive process in New York that attracted candidates from multiple countries.
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