Newsletters
Türkiye has nominated its permanent representative to the U.N., Ahmet Yildiz, for the post of U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as Filippo Grandi’s 10-year term nears its end. Several countries have submitted candidates to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who himself served as high commissioner from 2005 to 2015.
Outlining his candidacy to Turkish news agency Anadolu, Yildiz said his approach would focus on operational excellence, comprehensive coordination with stakeholders, transparent governance, and renewed emphasis on UNHCR’s mission.
“To have a vision, you need an experience. As a country, we have experience. As a diplomat, I have quite a lot of experience,” he said.
Before becoming Türkiye’s U.N. envoy in 2024, Yildiz’s 37-year career took him to Bosnia, Iraq, Libya, and Syria, where he worked with refugees, displaced people, and migrants.
He noted that conflicts have only worsened in recent decades. “Conflicts are increasing, deteriorating, and the number of displaced persons … is increasing decade by decade,” he said.
Yildiz stressed the need to revive the founding principle of fair burden-sharing. “The vision of our elders, the founding fathers, was that this refugee and migration problem may bring a burden that certain countries cannot cope with without international cooperation. We should build on this. During the Syrian crisis, no country could manage it,” he said.
He also warned of declining contributions to UNHCR and urged modernization through digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and stronger field operations.
The number of refugees and displaced people worldwide has doubled in the past decade, from 60 million to 120 million. Yildiz said reversing this trend requires addressing root causes.
“The real issue is how to stop this trend,” he said, adding that displacement now stems not only from conflict and human rights abuses but also from climate change.
He proposed preventive measures at the source, tailored to states’ priorities and capacities, as well as reviewing international response frameworks. “One of the priorities of the high commission should be to collaborate with the international community to get ready for crises, and, if possible, to review the international response … with new regulations complementary to the international protocol,” he said.
Citing Türkiye’s record, Yildiz called it the “gold standard” in refugee management. “Türkiye established a special agency for immigration, modernized infrastructure in cities and on the borders. During the Syrian crisis, we noticed that many countries were not prepared for it,” he said.
He also emphasized the need to raise UNHCR’s visibility. “Not many people know what UNHCR is doing. That’s why it is easy for some critics to attack the organization instead of investigating the reasons,” he said.
Yildiz said he views the High Commissioner role as “a collective responsibility for humanity.”
Through its role as donor and host, he added, Türkiye has contributed to UNHCR’s mission of “leaving no one behind” and “ensuring outreach for everyone in need.”
“We are hopeful, but whatever the decision of the secretary general, Türkiye will continue to cooperate with the UN and international organizations on this issue,” Yildiz said.
He added that Türkiye has strong institutional capacity and ambition in areas where UNHCR needs support, and that he is ready to take on the role.
2 min read
