According to a letter, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will endorse former Iraqi President Barham Salih as the next head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

“Following a detailed review of the nominations and applications and rigorous interviews of short-listed candidates, a panel of senior advisors recommended several finalists for my consideration,” the letter signed by Secretary-General Guterres to Ambassador Atsuyuki Oike, the chair of UNHCR's executive committee, said.

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“In conformity with paragraph 13 of the Statute of UNHCR, I am pleased to inform of my intention to propose to the UN General Assembly the election of Mr. Barham Ahmed Salih of the Republic of Iraq as the new High Commissioner for Refugees for a period of five years, beginning on January 1, 2026 and ending on December 31, 2030.”

Alessandra Vellucci, chief spokesperson for the UN office in Geneva, told reporters on Friday that she was aware of reports about the question of the choice of the next UNHCR head by Secretary-General Guterres. 

However, she said this has to go through a “proper process, and this includes consultations with the executive committee of UNHCR, and then a decision is taken by the General Assembly. So for the moment, I would just like to say that the process is ongoing, and once it’s finished, there will be an official announcement.”