United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Major General Ingrid Gjerde of Norway as Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

Major General Gjerde succeeds Major General Cheryl Pearce of Australia, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedication and leadership during her two years of service.

Major General Gjerde has had a distinguished career in the Norwegian Defence Force, currently serving as Head of Strategic Plans.  She was previously Chief of Public Affairs for the Norwegian Defence (2018-2019) as well as Chief of Staff and second in command of the Norwegian army (2016-2018).  She headed the Army Military Academy (2013-2016) and led her country’s contingent deployed to Afghanistan (2011-2012).  Among other postings, she commanded the Norwegian King’s Battalion (2006-2009) and was deployed within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) commanding a Norwegian platoon (1994-1995).

She is a graduate of the Norwegian Military academy as well as from the US Army command and staff college and from the US Army War college.  She holds a Master’s degree (Cand. Polit.) from Oslo University.