Former Iraq president named UN refugee chief, document shows

Dec 12, 2025

FILE PHOTO: Iraq's President Barham Salih speaks to members of the media as he casts his vote at a polling station in Baghdad, as Iraqis go to the polls to vote in the parliamentary election, in Iraq, October 10, 2021. REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani/ File Photo — THAIER AL-SUDANI

GENEVA, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Iraq's former president Barham ⁠Salih has been chosen as the next high ‍commissioner for refugees for the United Nations, a letter ⁠showed on Friday.

The letter signed by United Nations Chief Antonio Guterres and dated ⁠Dec. ⁠11 says Salih has been appointed for a ‌five-year term beginning January 1, 2026.

The appointment is provisional ‍and needs to be approved ‌by UNHCR's ‌Executive Committee, the document showed.

(Reporting by Emma Farge, ⁠Editing by Friederike Heine)

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