Barham Salih appointed UN High Commissioner

The Iraqi news network Alsumaria reported on Friday morning that UN Secretary-General António Guterres has chosen Barham Salih, the former president of Iraq, to lead the UNHCR.

According to the report, Salih was among a list of 12 candidates, most of whom were from European countries. His selection marks a significant shift in a process that, since the agency’s founding after World War II, has been dominated by European figures.

The organization Devex, citing informed sources in an exclusive report, stated that although Salih’s appointment has not yet been officially announced, the decision has been finalized. He is expected to replace Filippo Grandi, the current Italian head of UNHCR, who will retire at the end of this year after ten years in office.

The report notes that Salih won the position in a competitive process that included candidates from major UN donor countries such as Germany, Switzerland, and Sweden. His term will last five years, with the possibility of being nominated for a second term.

It is said that António Guterres—who himself previously served as UN High Commissioner for Refugees—made the decision after narrowing the list of candidates to a short list of three or four individuals. All remaining finalists, including Jesper Brodin, the former CEO of IKEA, were from Europe.