Join CNAS for a live fireside chat on Tuesday, May 5, from 12:00–1:00 p.m. ET with Barham Salih, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and Richard Fontaine, CEO at the Center for a New American Security.

With nearly 117 million people forcibly displaced globally—including refugees, internally displaced people, and asylum seekers—UNHCR plays a critical role in the response. While forced displacement is an acute problem, many refugee populations are multigenerational. High Commissioner Salih recently announced as a priority a renewed focus on solutions for long term displacement and a “measurable reduction” in long-term aid dependency while instituting a reform agenda.

In the United States and several other traditional donor nations, there is an ongoing and robust debate on the role of international aid, refugee policies, and assistance. The discussion will focus on the global refugee situation, and flash points causing displacement.

Salih is the 12th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He was elected by the UN General Assembly in December 2025 and assumed office on January 1, 2026. Salih previously served as president of Iraq from 2018 to 2022, twice as prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, and as deputy prime minister of Iraq. He is the first former refugee to serve UNHCR as High Commissioner.