ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih met Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus on Monday to discuss a number of issues spanning refugee returns, livelihood, early recovery and the safe return of millions of displaced Syrians.
President Sharaa and Salih addressed “ways to enhance cooperation between the Syrian Arab Republic and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in addition to supporting efforts related to the voluntary and safe return of refugees, and livelihood and early recovery projects,” according to a statement by the Presidency.
“In Damascus today, I met President Ahmad Al-Sharaa to discuss the rising number of Syrians returning home, the millions still displaced, and the support needed to rebuild lives after years of conflict,” Salih said in a post on X, citing “a peaceful and inclusive Syria” as “the foundation for lasting recovery” and calling on the international community to match Syrians’ determination to rebuild with “sustained support, investment, and solidarity.”
The meeting with Salih and his delegation, in which the Minister of foreign affairs and expatriates, Asaad al-Shaibani were also present, underscores the importance of cooperation between the Syrian government, UN agencies, international organizations and the private sector, stressing the need for UN programs and plans to align with national recovery priorities.
The convenings come as Salih, a former Iraqi president (2018 - 2022) and senior Kurdish political figure, takes on one of the UN system’s most prominent humanitarian posts after being elected in December 2025, overseeing international efforts to protect refugees and other forcibly displaced people.
Salih on Sunday met with the steering committee tasked with the implementation of “Syria Without Camps,” a national recovery and infrastructure rehabilitation project, addressing the vision as a key pillar of recovery efforts, ensuring voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable returns, according to state-run Sana news agency.
The UNHCR chief's meeting with Sharaa draws particular relevance due to Syria’s prominence as a focal point of one of the world's largest displacement crises. The UN refugee agency's role includes supporting refugees, asylum seekers, and the displaced people while working with governments on conditions for safe and voluntary return.
Sharaa has emphasized the return of refugees as a central focus on a number of occasions, including a meeting in March with representatives of civil society organizations, in which Sharaa highlighted an “to end displacement camps and enable residents to return to their towns and villages” as central to Syria’s recovery.
In his March visit to Berlin, Sharaa maintained that Damascus was working with Germany on a "circular migration” model that would allow Syrian professionals to contribute to reconstruction efforts, according to SANA.
Salih and Sharaa met in April on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, where they discussed refugee issues, humanitarian cooperation and efforts to support stability and recovery, according to Syrian state media.
Salih, who was born in Sulaimani in 1960, joined the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in 1976 and went on to hold senior positions in both the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi federal government.
He served twice as prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Sulaimani administration, Iraq’s deputy prime minister (2004 -2009), and was elected president of Iraq in 2018. He is also the founder of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani.
