On Monday, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih met with Pope Leo XIV and thanked him for his steadfast support for refugees.

“His moral and spiritual leadership aligns deeply with our work to promote protection and dignity for people forced to flee in today’s challenging global context,” UNHCR head Salih posted on X.

Read More: First Kurd Elected as UN Refugee Chief

Salih, the former Iraqi president and a prominent Kurdish politician, was elected as the UNHCR head on December 18. “As a former refugee, I know first-hand how protection and opportunity can change the course of a life,” he posted on X.

On January 20, Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met with Salih at the Davos Forum in Switzerland, and discussed the situation of refugees in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and the wider region.

They also discussed the military clashes in Syria and their impact on the refugee situation, as well as the threats posed by ISIS militants. 

Both sides stressed the need to bring the conflict to an end and to protect peace and stability in the region.This comes amid heavy clashes between Kurdish forces and Syrian government soldiers in Western Kurdistan (northern Syria) that have displaced thousands of civilians.

Read More: BCF Delivers Urgent Support to Kurds in Syria

On January 21, the Barzani Charity Foundation sent a huge amount of aid to Western Kurdistan on the orders of President Masoud Barzani through the Semalka border crossing.