ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Former Iraqi President Barham Salih on Thursday said he was looking forward to his new role as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, noting that his past experience as “a former refugee” strengthens his commitment to bettering conditions for those displace worldwide.

Earlier this month, reports emerged that Salih, a prominent Kurdish political figure, had been selected as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The news was welcomed by several political figures, including US Special Envoy for Iraq Mark Savaya, who praised Salih’s selection, saying that “there is no one more deserving” of the position.

Salih, late Thursday, expressed gratitude for his new position, saying, “I am honored to have been elected as the incoming United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. As a former refugee, I know firsthand how protection and opportunity can change the course of a life,” he said in a post on his X account.

Salih has held high-level positions in both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, long having been a prominent voice for moderation, reform, and inclusive governance.

He further expressed his commitment to responsibilities towards refugees, saying, “I will work with Member States and partners across the public, private, and philanthropic sectors to mobilize the capacity, resources, and collective will needed to reach those most in need.”

He added that in his role at UNHCR, he would work to “advance protection and durable solutions fit for both the promise and the perils of the 21st century,” while working with partner states and refugees.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees leads the UN agency that protects and supports refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless people worldwide, playing a key role in conflict zones and major humanitarian crises.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reportedly selected Salih from a shortlist of candidates to replace incumbent chief Filippo Grandi, whose second term is set to expire on December 31.

Salih thanked Guterres for selecting him for the position, praising Guterres and his team for their “principled and tireless leadership during a period of extraordinary global challenge.”

Of the eleven commissioners since the establishment of the posting in 1950, nine have been from European countries, thus making the former president's appointment a globalizing departure from the norm.

He served two terms as prime minister of the Kurdistan Region (2001–2004, 2009–2012), was Iraq’s deputy prime minister (2004-2009), and was minister of planning in the transitional government (2005). 

He later served as Iraq’s president from 2018 to 2022, losing re-election to current President Abdul Latif Rashid.

One of Salih’s significant roles in international affairs came in 2007, when he represented the Iraqi government in launching the International Compact with Iraq, an initiative to build a prosperous, democratic, and federal country with international support.