Barham Salih, the former president of Iraq who once experienced torture and exile, has been appointed as the new United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The 65-year-old is the first former head of state to lead the agency, which is currently facing significant funding challenges amid a growing global refugee crisis.
During his first official trip to the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, Salih described his new position as “a profound moral and legal responsibility.” Speaking to AFP, he referenced his own past, stating, “I know the pain of losing a home, losing your friends.”
The Kakuma camp, established in 1992, hosts approximately 300,000 refugees from neighboring countries including South Sudan, Somalia, and Uganda.
A History of Exile and Political Leadership
Born in Sulaymaniyah in 1960, Barham Salih became involved with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) during his youth. In 1979, he was arrested twice by Saddam Hussein’s regime and subjected to torture, including beatings and electric shocks, over 43 days. After his release, he fled to the United Kingdom, where he completed his education.
Following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s government in 2003, Salih held several senior positions in both the Kurdistan Regional Government and Iraq’s federal government, ultimately serving as the country’s president from 2018 to 2022.
His predecessor at the UNHCR, Filippo Grandi, noted that Salih “brings a personal perspective of displacement, which is very important.”
Navigating Unprecedented Challenges
The UNHCR reported in June that the number of refugees worldwide has doubled over the past decade, reaching 117 million. This surge in displacement coincides with a sharp decline in funding for the agency.
“We have had very serious budget cuts last year. A lot of staff have been reduced,” Salih acknowledged. He emphasized the need for the agency to adapt by improving “efficiency and accountability,” while calling on the international community to fulfill its “legal and moral obligations to help” those displaced by conflict and persecution.
