Former Iraqi President Salih slated to lead UN refugee agency

Salih, who fled Saddam Hussein’s regime, campaigned for occupation connected ground that helium knows what it is similar to beryllium a refugee.

Former Iraqi President Barham Salih is connected people to go the adjacent caput of the United Nations exile agency aft Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recommended him for the job.

A signed missive from Guterres, dated Thursday and addressed to Atsuyuki Oike, Japan’s apical diplomat successful Geneva and seat of UNHCR’s enforcement committee, that was seen by quality agencies, confirmed the assignment pending ceremonial approval.

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All going according to plan, Salih, 65, volition win Filippo Grandi, whose 2nd five-year word arsenic the UN High Commissioner for Refugees expires connected December 31, becoming the archetypal non-Western caput of the Geneva-based bureau successful astir fractional a century.

Alessandra Vellucci, main spokesperson for the UN office, told reporters that the assignment would person to spell done “a due process” that includes consultations with the UNHCR committee, with a last determination taken by the UN General Assembly successful New York.

“The process is ongoing. And erstwhile it’s finished, determination volition beryllium an authoritative announcement made by the United Nations,” said Vellucci.

Salih, who studied engineering successful the United Kingdom to flight persecution nether the regularisation of Saddam Hussein, served arsenic Iraqi president from 2018 to 2022.

Originally from Iraq’s Kurdish region, Salih said during his run for the occupation that helium believed profoundly successful the exile agency’s ngo “because I person lived it”.

“My imaginativeness is simply a UNHCR that places refugees astatine the centre, recognising that humanitarian assistance is meant to beryllium temporary,” helium said.

The expected succession comes astatine the extremity of a devastating year, with UNHCR having slashed its 2026 fund by astir a 5th to $8.5bn, with 5,000 occupation losses coming down the line, adjacent arsenic planetary displacement spikes amid conflicts successful Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.

Key donors similar the US nether President Donald Trump person chopped contributions, and others person shifted funds to defence.

Salih aims to broaden backing sources, pat Islamic finance, and enlist private-sector partners done a projected “Global CEO Humanitarian Council”.

He faces increasing Western restrictions connected asylum, amid anti-immigration sentiment, arsenic good arsenic vexation successful poorer states sheltering refugees.

About a twelve candidates competed for the role, including politicians, an IKEA enforcement and a TV personality. More than fractional were European.

The past non-Western caput of the bureau was Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan of Iran, who served from 1966 to 1977.