UNITED NATIONS, Dec 18 (Reuters) – The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday elected Barham Salih, a former Iraqi president who fled persecution under Saddam Hussein, as the next U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. Salih was elected without a vote by the 193-member assembly after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres nominated him to succeed Italy’s Filippo Grandi, […]
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UN elects former Iraqi President to lead UN refugee agency
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UNITED NATIONS, Dec 18 (Reuters) – The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday elected Barham Salih, a former Iraqi president who fled persecution under Saddam Hussein, as the next U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Salih was elected without a vote by the 193-member assembly after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres nominated him to succeed Italy’s Filippo Grandi, who has led the agency since 2016.
Salih will begin a five year term on January 1, 2026.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols, Editing by Franklin Paul)