Barham Salih facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barham Salih
|
|
|---|---|
|
بەرھەم ساڵح
برهم صالح |
|
.jpg)
Salih in 2019
|
|
| United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees | |
|
Designate
|
|
| Assuming office 1 January 2026 |
|
| Secretary-General | António Guterres |
| Succeeding | Filippo Grandi |
| President of Iraq | |
| In office 2 October 2018 – 17 October 2022 |
|
| Prime Minister | Haider Al-Abadi Adil Abdul-Mahdi Mustafa Al-Kadhimi |
| Vice President | Vacant |
| 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 PUK-controlled part only |
|
| 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
|
|
| Prime Minister | Nouri al-Maliki |
| Preceded by | Rowsch Shaways |
| Succeeded by | Rowsch Shaways |
| In office 28 June 2004 – 3 May 2005 |
|
| Prime Minister | Ayad Allawi |
| Preceded by | Coalition Provisional Authority |
| Succeeded by | Rowsch Shaways |
| Minister of Planning | |
| In office 3 May 2005 – 20 May 2006 |
|
| Prime Minister | Ibrahim al-Jaafari |
| Preceded by | Mahdi al-Hafez |
| Succeeded by | Ali Baban |
| 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 | |
| Political party | Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (1976–2017, 2018–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
National Coalition (Iraqi Kurdistan) (2017–2018) |
| Spouse | Sarbagh Salih |
| Children | 2 |
| Residences | Radwaniyah Palace, Baghdad, Iraq |
| Alma mater | Cardiff University University of Liverpool |
Barham Salih (born 8 September 1960) is an Iraqi politician. He served as the President of Iraq from 2018 to 2022. He was the third non-Arab president of Iraq.
Before becoming president, Salih held several important roles. He was the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region and a Deputy Prime Minister for the Iraqi federal government. He was elected President on 2 October 2018. In October 2022, he did not win re-election, and Abdul Latif Rashid became the new president.
Contents
About Barham Salih
Early Life and Education
Barham Salih was born in 1960 in Sulaymaniyah, a city in Iraq. During his youth, he faced challenges. In 1979, he was detained by the government at the time for his involvement in a Kurdish national movement. After his release, he completed high school. He then left Iraq to continue his studies safely in the United Kingdom.
In the UK, he pursued higher education. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering and Construction from Cardiff University in 1983. Later, in 1987, he completed a Doctorate degree. This advanced degree was in Statistics and Computer Applications in Engineering from the University of Liverpool.
Family Life
Barham Salih is married to Sarbagh Salih. She is a dedicated women's rights activist. Sarbagh Salih also leads the Kurdish Botanical Foundation. Together, they have two children.
Political Journey
Starting in Politics
Barham Salih joined the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in 1976. The PUK is a political party in Iraq. He became involved with the PUK's work in Europe. He was in charge of the party's foreign relations in London.
After a period of conflict, when Iraqi Kurdistan gained more self-governance, he was elected to the PUK leadership. He then led the PUK Office in the United States.
After 2003, Salih took on important roles in the Iraqi government. He served as Deputy Prime Minister in 2004. In 2005, he became the Minister of Planning. Later, he was again Deputy Prime Minister, focusing on economic matters. He helped launch an international plan to support Iraq. This plan aimed to build a prosperous and democratic country.
In 2009, Salih appeared on The Colbert Report. This was a popular TV show. He spoke about the role of the U.S. military in Iraq. He also mentioned that many Kurds hoped for independence.
Leading Kurdistan's Government
Barham Salih became the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government. He led the Kurdistani List in the 2009 elections. His list won a majority of the seats. He took over from Nechervan Idris Barzani.
His time as Prime Minister saw new political groups emerge. This created challenges for the government. He successfully continued his leadership despite a vote of no confidence in 2011. He also signed a major oil contract with ExxonMobil. In 2012, he handed over the Prime Minister role back to Nechervan Idris Barzani. This was part of a political agreement.
Forming a New Party and Returning to PUK
In September 2017, Salih announced he was leaving the PUK. He formed a new party called the Coalition for Democracy and Justice. He hoped this new party would unite other opposition groups. The goal was to challenge the existing government alliance.
However, in September 2018, Barham Salih rejoined the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. The PUK then nominated him as their candidate for President of Iraq. His former party later changed its name and eventually dissolved.
Serving as President of Iraq
On 2 October 2018, Salih was elected as the eighth President of Iraq. He won with 219 votes. He served in this high office until October 2022.
As President, Salih spoke out on important issues. He condemned the 2019 Turkish military action in Syria. He stated it would cause great human suffering. He urged the world to work for peace and protect all Syrians.
In March 2019, President Salih proposed a significant law. This was the "Yazidi Female Survivors Law." It aimed to provide support for Yazidi women who had suffered greatly during conflicts. This law became official on 1 March 2021. It was seen as an important step to help survivors rebuild their lives.
On 24 September 2019, President Salih met with U.S. President Donald Trump. They held a bilateral meeting.
In December 2019, Salih offered to resign. He disagreed with the choice for a new Prime Minister. He believed the proposed candidate would not be supported by the public.
Facing Challenges
In 2002, Barham Salih survived an attempt on his life. This event was carried out by a group called Ansar al-Islam.
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Barham Salih para niños
