Italian diplomat Filippo Grandi is to head the UN refugee agency, succeeding Antonio Guterres. The choice was made considering the role Italy has got by being hard-hit by refugee inflows into Europe via the Middle East and northern Africa.
Grandi (pictured top of page), who is to head the UNHCR from January, has already held several tough UN positions, including heading the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA between 2010 and 2014. In Afghanistan, Grandi was deputy envoy to the UN aid mission and regional chief of mission for the UNHCR. He was also involved in UNHCR efforts in Sudan, Yemen and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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