Kristin Lund

Thematic expertise: WPS, CIMIC, security sector reform, ceasefire mediation/agreements, mediation, military peace operations, logistics, UN peace operations

Geographic expertise: Balkans, MENA, Cyprus, Afghanistan, Mali

Languages: English, German, French

Major General (R) Kristin Lund retired from active-duty December 2019 after 40 years of service, when she returned to Norway after being the Head of Mission/Chief of Staff of United Nation Truce Supervision Organization in the Middle East. Between her last two missions, she worked as Senior Advisor at the Norwegian Defence University College (NODEFIC) with a ceasefire mediation course, leadership lectures, UN training. She has also been a Practitioner in Residence at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) from January 2020 to July 2021. Kristin Lund was the first female Norwegian Army Officer promoted to the rank of Major General, and the first female Force Commander in UN history, serving as force commander for the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

During her service, Kristin has held several prominent positions, both nationally and abroad, including as Chief of Staff of the Norwegian Home Guard. Her career has also seen multiple deployments overseas with both NATO and the UN to conflict zones. In October 2017 Major General Lund took command of UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organization) as Head of Mission/Chief of staff. She was the first female member of the Armed Forces to hold the Head of Mission title in UN history. The main focus of her work has been on logistics, civil-military cooperation and coordination (CIMIC), light infantry (Homeguard), mediation and gender equality. Her gender equality contributions were recognized when she was awarded the Norwegian Armed Forces Equality Award in 2004. Major General Lund’s accomplishments have earned her the following prestigious awards: the French Ordre National de la Légion d’honneur in 2015, and the Norwegian Defence Cross of Honour in 2016. In October 2019 she received the Norwegian Order of St Olav for her tireless work with gender equality in the Norwegian Forces and within international operations. Since 2017 she has been a UN WOMEN Champion. She holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from US Army War College.