United Nations, Dec 19 (NationPress) - Barham Salih, who served as the president of Iraq and knows the struggles of being a refugee firsthand, has been appointed the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. This appointment occurs during a critical period where the agency is grappling with diminishing resources and a significant surge in the demand for its assistance.

The General Assembly unanimously elected Salih on the recommendation of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, marking a significant moment for a region that is heavily impacted by refugee issues.

“Having been a refugee myself, I'm acutely aware of how protection and opportunity can transform lives,” Salih stated following his election. “This personal experience will shape my leadership style, which will be rooted in empathy, practicality, and a strong adherence to international law.”

He will take over from Italy’s Filippo Grandi, whose term concludes at the year’s end.

Grandi expressed confidence in Salih's capabilities, stating, “His diverse background and extensive experience equip him ideally to steer the UNHCR during this era of widespread displacement and increasingly intricate humanitarian and political challenges.”

Guterres previously held the position focused on refugee welfare.

Aside from Sadruddin Aga Khan and Japan’s Sadako Ogata, all prior commissioners have been of European descent.

Guterres chose Salih from a list of ten nominees proposed by UN member states, which included notable figures such as Sweden’s Jesper Brodin, who recently stepped down as CEO of Ikea; former Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya; and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.

Salih held the presidency of Iraq from 2018 until 2022 and previously served as the regional prime minister of Kurdistan from 2009 to 2012.

He was imprisoned by Saddam Hussein in 1979 due to his involvement in the Kurdish national movement and later fled to the UK, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Cardiff and a doctorate in statistics and computer applications from the University of Liverpool.

He is also a founding member of the American University of Iraq in Sulaimani.

According to the UNHCR, there are over 117 million refugees globally, primarily in developing nations.

The agency boasts a workforce of 14,600 across 128 countries.

A report released earlier this year highlighted a “dangerous convergence of factors adversely affecting millions of displaced individuals: escalating displacement, dwindling funds, and political indifference.”

It revealed that $1.4 billion in vital programs are being curtailed or postponed due to funding deficiencies.

Up to 11.6 million refugees and others forced to flee might be at risk of losing support from UNHCR.

In reference to Pakistan's repatriation of refugees, the report noted, “Approximately 1.9 million Afghans have returned or been compelled to go back since the year's beginning, but the financial assistance for returnees is insufficient to meet basic needs like food, much less housing, complicating efforts for stable reintegration.”