UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has announced the appointment of Mahir Safarli as its new Representative for Central Asia. In this role, based in Almaty, he will lead UNHCR’s engagement and activities across Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Safarli brings more than 23 years of humanitarian experience with UNHCR, including senior leadership roles in complex displacement and emergency contexts. Prior to his appointment to Central Asia, he served as Deputy Representative in Greece and Ukraine, and previously held senior operational and field coordination roles in Syria and Türkiye.

Earlier in his career, Mahir Safarli held a wide range of field, protection, and management roles across UNHCR operations in Afghanistan, Libya, Ukraine, the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, and Azerbaijan, as well as at Headquarters in Geneva, where he contributed to inspection and strategic oversight functions.

With his extensive background in humanitarian operations and leadership, Mahir Safarli will lead the agency’s efforts in Central Asia to strengthen protection, enhance asylum systems, and resolve statelessness.

Mahir Safarli holds master’s degrees in law and public administration, as well as a bachelor’s degree in political science. His academic background is complemented by advanced diploma programmes in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and Conflict Prevention.