KDP’s Zebari Announces Support for Barham Salih as Candidate for UNHCR High Commissioner

Peregraf- Hoshyar Zebari, senior leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and former Iraqi Foreign Minister, announced on X that Dr. Barham Ahmad Salih, former President of Iraq, has been nominated as the joint candidate of Iraq and Kurdistan for the post of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Zebari said that Dr. Salih possesses “all the credentials and qualifications to represent this all-important humanitarian agency,” stressing that the KDP fully supports his candidacy. He called on all UN member states to endorse Dr. Salih, noting that the selection process is expected to take place this week.

The UNHCR High Commissioner leads the UN agency responsible for protecting refugees, displaced persons, and asylum seekers worldwide. If appointed, Dr. Salih would become one of the highest-ranking Iraqis within the UN system, overseeing an organization central to humanitarian response amid ongoing crises in the Middle East and beyond.

Zebari’s announcement underscores Iraq’s ambition to strengthen its role in international humanitarian institutions. Further details on Dr. Salih’s candidacy and the appointment timeline are expected in the coming days.