Szymon Hołownia, who announced his UN application in late September, faces competition from Polish colleague Roman Mazur, as the 6 October deadline looms for the High Commissioner for Refugees post.
Eligibility Requirements
Until October 6, interested persons could submit applications for the commissioner’s office. According to the UN Secretariat, the candidate should have broad knowledge of the humanitarian system and experience in solving refugee problems, leadership skills, and experience managing large organizations. Diplomatic competence and knowledge of UN mechanisms are also required.
The candidate must know English; proficiency in another UN official language would be an additional advantage.
Polish Nominees
Szymon Hołownia already announced at the end of September that he is applying for the UN post. Earlier, the politician withdrew his candidacy for his party’s leadership.
The other Polish candidate is Roman Mazur. He previously ran for the European Parliament from the Poland 2050 list but did not win a seat. He then joined an organization that helps refugees from Africa.
“I have laid out a concrete basis for my candidacy. Kindly cease encouraging the narrative that politics is not for positions. I have been in concrete refugee‑migration work long enough to see that no benefits come from a politician holding this crucial role for millions of people,” Mazur wrote on X at the beginning of October.
International Contenders
Candidates for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees also come from Turkey, Iraq, Germany, Denmark, Pakistan, and Switzerland.
Among the applicants are UN ambassador to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener, Turkey’s permanent representative to the UN Ahmet Yıldız, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Belgian politician Nicole de Moor, and German Social Democratic Party member Niels Annen.
The Swiss diplomat Suzanne Burgener is a favorite. The Secretary‑General’s choice ultimately decides the appointment; the selected candidate must be approved by the General Assembly.
