Salih, who fled Iraq during Saddam Hussein’s rule, said his personal experience of displacement would shape his leadership of the agency.
The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday elected former Iraqi president Barham Salih as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, placing a former refugee at the helm of the agency at a time of record global displacement.
Salih was elected by consensus by the 193-member General Assembly after being nominated by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
He will succeed Italy’s Filippo Grandi, who has led the UN refugee agency since 2016.
Salih, who fled Iraq during Saddam Hussein’s rule, said his personal experience of displacement would shape his leadership of the agency.
“As a former refugee, I know first-hand how protection and opportunity can change the course of a life,” he said.
“That experience will inform a leadership approach grounded in empathy, pragmatism, and a principled commitment to international law.”
He said his priority would be safeguarding the rights and dignity of refugees while pursuing lasting solutions that prevent displacement from becoming permanent.
Salih also acknowledged the growing strain on humanitarian systems, saying the agency would need to sharpen its focus on effectiveness, accountability and the impact of its programmes.
Guterres welcomed the appointment, praising Salih’s background and experience.
“I welcome the General Assembly’s election of Barham Salih of Iraq as the next UN High Commissioner for Refugees,” the secretary-general said, while paying tribute to Grandi’s leadership during a period marked by escalating humanitarian crises.
Grandi, who leaves office after nearly a decade in office, congratulated his successor and expressed confidence in the agency’s future.
“I very warmly welcome the election of Barham Salih as the next UN High Commissioner for refugees and wish him and UNHCR all the very best,” he said.
Salih said he looked forward to working with UNHCR staff, host governments, donors and refugees themselves to adapt the agency’s work to what he described as the “promise and perils” of the 21st century, as conflicts and climate shocks continue to drive displacement worldwide.
UNHCR is mandated to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people, ensuring access to asylum and safety for those fleeing war, persecution, violence or disaster.
The agency operates in more than 130 countries and works with governments and partners to provide protection, assistance and long-term solutions.
In Kenya, where UNHCR has been active for over five decades, the agency plays a central role in managing one of Africa’s largest and most protracted refugee situations.
Kenya hosts the fifth-largest refugee population on the continent and ranks among the top asylum countries globally, with many refugees having lived in camps for more than 30 years.
Most refugees in Kenya originate from Somalia and South Sudan, alongside others from across the East, Horn and Great Lakes regions.
UNHCR works closely with the Kenyan government and a range of national and international partners to deliver protection and humanitarian assistance.
The agency also supports Kenyan returnees coming back from exile abroad and advocates for stateless people, helping them access vital documentation such as birth certificates and national identity cards. By