New york: The Secretary-General requested that the UN General Assembly inform the organization's executive body that "Barham Ahmed Salih of Iraq will serve a five-year term beginning at the start of the new year."

According to National Iraqi News Agency, this marks a first, as no one from the Middle East has ever held the position of High Commissioner for Refugees, the second-highest post in the UN after the Secretary-General.

UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres sent a written letter to the UN General Assembly endorsing the appointment of former Iraqi President Barham Salih as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.