Barham Salih, the first refugee to lead UNHCR, emphasises the urgent need for global support amid a significant decline in funding and rising repression of immigrants. He advocates for safeguarding the 1951 refugee convention and calls for a collective humanitarian response.
International
-Sathish Raman
The
UN
refugee
agency’s
new
leader,
Barham
Salih,
has
highlighted
the
world’s
current
challenges
in
dealing
with
refugees.
He
emphasised
the
growing
repression
of
immigrants
and
the
decreasing
funds
available
to
protect
them.
Salih,
without
directly
referencing
the
Trump
administration,
noted
that
his
office
must
be
creative
to
address
these
issues,
especially
with
a
significant
reduction
in
US
financial
support.
image
Barham
Salih,
the
first
refugee
to
lead
UNHCR,
emphasises
the
urgent
need
for
global
support
amid
a
significant
decline
in
funding
and
rising
repression
of
immigrants.
He
advocates
for
safeguarding
the
1951
refugee
convention
and
calls
for
a
collective
humanitarian
response.
Salih,
who
began
his
role
as
high
commissioner
for
refugees
on
January
1,
stressed
the
importance
of
upholding
the
1951
refugee
convention.
This
comes
as
the
Trump
administration
encourages
other
governments
to
join
efforts
to
redefine
asylum
rules.
Salih
described
this
as
both
an
international
legal
obligation
and
a
moral
duty.
Funding
Challenges
and
Strategic
Adaptation
According
to
the
UNHCR,
there
are
117.3
million
forcibly
displaced
individuals
globally
from
194
countries.
Salih
faces
the
task
of
supporting
around
30
million
refugees
with
reduced
resources.
In
2024
and
2025,
US
funding
decreased
from
USD
2.1
billion
to
USD
800
million,
yet
it
remains
UNHCR’s
largest
donor.
“Resources
made
available
to
helping
refugees
are
being
constrained
and
limited
in
very,
very
significant
way,” Salih
stated.
The
Trump
administration
is
also
reviewing
the
US
asylum
system
and
plans
to
suspend
the
refugee
programme
in
2025,
limiting
entries
to
7,500,
primarily
white
South
Africans.
Meeting
with
Pope
Leo
XIV
Salih
has
already
met
Pope
Leo
XIV
at
the
Vatican
and
expressed
gratitude
for
the
pontiff’s
support.
“The
voice
of
the
church
and
faith-based
organisations
in
this
endeavour
is
absolutely
vital,”
Salih
said.
He
acknowledged
the
importance
of
moral
support
from
religious
leaders
in
advocating
for
refugees.
Salih’s
personal
experiences
as
a
refugee
influence
his
work
significantly.
He
first
fled
Iraq
for
Iran
as
a
teenager
in
1974
and
later
sought
refuge
in
the
UK
after
being
arrested
under
Saddam
Hussein’s
regime.
He
returned
to
Iraq
and
served
as
president
from
2018-2022.
Field
Visits
and
Personal
Insights
Since
assuming
his
new
role,
Salih
has
visited
refugees
from
Sudan’s
civil
war
in
Chad
and
those
from
Somalia,
Congo,
and
Ethiopia
in
Kenya.
Despite
witnessing
funding
challenges
firsthand,
he
remains
optimistic
about
his
work.
“Refugees
are
not
just
numbers
and
victims,”
he
said.
The
Trump
administration
has
intensified
immigration
enforcement
as
part
of
its
promise
to
increase
deportations.
This
has
led
to
criticism
over
deportations
to
third
countries
and
public
outrage
over
fatal
shootings
by
federal
officers.
Salih
believes
adapting
to
a
changing
world
is
necessary.
His
agency
aims
to
be
more
cost-effective
by
delivering
aid
directly
to
those
in
need
rather
than
perpetuating
dependency
on
humanitarian
assistance.
Salih
did
not
discuss
recent
events
in
Minneapolis
related
to
immigration
enforcement
protests
during
his
interview.
However,
he
remains
hopeful
about
finding
solutions
through
collaboration
and
innovation.
With
inputs
from
PTI
