Barham Salih facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barham Salih
|
|
|---|---|
|
بەرھەم ساڵح
برهم صالح |
|
.jpg)
Salih in 2019
|
|
| President of Iraq | |
| In office 2 October 2018 – 13 October 2022 |
|
| Prime Minister | Haider Al-Abadi Adil Abdul-Mahdi Mustafa Al-Kadhimi |
| Preceded by | Fuad Masum |
| Succeeded by | Abdul Latif Rashid |
| Prime Minister of Kurdistan Region | |
| In office 28 October 2009 – 5 April 2012 |
|
| President | Masoud Barzani |
| Preceded by | Nechirvan Barzani |
| Succeeded by | Nechirvan Barzani |
| In office 21 January 2001 – 15 July 2004 |
|
| President | Jalal Talabani |
| Preceded by | Kosrat Rasul Ali |
| Succeeded by | Omar Fattah Hussein (acting) |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq | |
| In office 20 May 2006 – 20 August 2009 Serving with Salam al-Zaubai, Rafi al-Issawi
|
|
| President | Jalal Talabani |
| Prime Minister | Nouri al-Maliki |
| Preceded by | Rowsch Shaways |
| Succeeded by | Rowsch Shaways |
| In office 28 June 2004 – 3 May 2005 |
|
| Prime Minister | Iyad Allawi |
| Preceded by | Coalition Provisional Authority |
| Succeeded by | Rowsch Shaways |
| Chair of Board of Trustees at The American University of Iraq, Sulaimani | |
| In office 2007–2017 |
|
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Jill Derby |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Barham Ahmed Salih
8 September 1960 Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Republic |
| Citizenship | |
| Nationality | Kurdish |
| Political party | Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (1976–2017, 2018–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Coalition for Democracy and Justice (2018) |
| Spouse | Sarbagh Salih |
| Children | 2 |
| Residences | Radwaniyah Palace, Baghdad, Iraq |
| Alma mater | Cardiff University University of Liverpool |
Barham Salih (born September 8, 1960) is a Kurdish politician from Iraq. He served as the president of Iraq from 2018 to 2022.
Before becoming president, he was the prime minister of the Kurdistan Region and also a deputy prime minister for the main Iraqi government. He was elected president of Iraq on October 2, 2018. Salih is the third president of Iraq who is not Arab, following Fuad Masum, who is also Kurdish. In October 2022, he was not re-elected, and Abdul Latif Rashid became the new president.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Barham Salih was born in 1960 in Sulaymaniyah, a city in Iraq. In 1979, he was arrested twice by the government at that time. This happened because he was involved in the Kurdish national movement. He spent 43 days in a special prison in Kirkuk and faced harsh treatment. After he was released, he finished high school. He then left Iraq and moved to the United Kingdom to avoid further problems.
Studying in the UK
In the UK, Barham Salih continued his studies. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering and Construction from Cardiff University in 1983. He then went on to get a Doctorate degree in Statistics and Computer Applications in Engineering from the University of Liverpool in 1987.
Personal Life
Barham Salih is married to Sarbagh Salih. She is the leader and a founder of the Kurdish Botanical Foundation. She also works to support women's rights. They have two children together.
Political Career
Barham Salih joined the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) political party in 1976. He worked for the PUK in Europe and was in charge of their international relations in London.
Roles in the Iraqi Government
After the government in Iraq changed in 2003, Barham Salih took on several important roles:
- In 2004, he became the Deputy Prime Minister in the temporary Iraqi government.
- In 2005, he served as the Minister of Planning.
- He then became Deputy Prime Minister again in the elected Iraqi government. In this role, he focused on economic matters and led the Economic Committee.
He also helped launch the International Compact with Iraq. This was an agreement between Iraq and other countries to help Iraq become a peaceful, democratic, and strong country.
Leading the Kurdistan Region Government
Barham Salih became the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government on October 28, 2009. He took over from Nechervan Idris Barzani. During his time as prime minister, there were some challenges, including the rise of a new opposition party. He also signed an important oil contract with ExxonMobil. He left the prime minister role on April 5, 2012, as part of a political agreement.
Return to the PUK Party
In September 2017, Salih announced he was leaving the PUK to start a new party called the Coalition for Democracy and Justice. He hoped to bring together other opposition parties to challenge the main ruling parties. However, on September 19, 2018, Barham Salih decided to rejoin the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. The PUK then chose him as their candidate for the Iraqi Presidency.
President of Iraq
On October 2, 2018, Barham Salih was elected as the eighth president of Iraq. He received many votes, defeating another candidate, Fuad Hussein.
As president, Salih spoke out against the 2019 Turkish military action in northern Syria. He said it would cause great suffering and help terrorist groups. He called for the world to work together for peace in Syria.
.jpg)
In March 2019, President Salih proposed a special law to help Yazidi women who had survived being held captive. This law aimed to provide support and help them rebuild their lives. The law was passed on March 1, 2021, and was seen as an important step to help these survivors.
On September 24, 2019, President Salih met with U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time.
In December 2019, Salih offered to resign from his position. This happened because he refused to appoint a new Prime Minister who he felt would not be supported by the people protesting across the country at that time.
Assassination Attempt
On April 2, 2002, Barham Salih survived an attempt on his life by a group called Ansar al-Islam.
See also
In Spanish: Barham Salih para niños
