NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF NORWAY PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNOG

Steffen Kongstad, the new Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his credentials to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. Kongstad had been serving since 2008 as Director-General of the Department for Security Policy and the High North of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway, dealing with security policy matters, United Nations operations, arms control/non-proliferation/disarmament, Arctic and Polar issues, energy issues, and bilateral relations with the United States, Canada, Russia and Eurasia. From 2006 to 2008, he was Deputy Director-General of the Department for the United Nations, Peace and Humanitarian Affairs, dealing with United Nations affairs, humanitarian affairs, human rights/democracy, conflict resolution, international financial institutions and environmental issues. From 2001 to 2006, he was the Deputy Director-General of the Department for Global Affairs, dealing with United Nations affairs, humanitarian affairs, human rights and conflict resolution.

A career diplomat, Mr. Kongstad was the President of the Second Meeting of States parties to the Mine Ban Convention in 2000. From 1995 to 2000, he served at the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations Office at Geneva, first as Minister Counsellor dealing with disarmament, arms control and political affairs, and in the last year as Minister and Deputy Permanent Representative. Other foreign posts where Mr. Kongstad served were as Second Secretary at the Norwegian Embassy in Prague (1982 to 1985); as First Secretary at the Norwegian Embassy in Helsinki (1985 to 1988); and as Acting Head of Mission at the Norwegian Military Mission in Berlin (1988 to 1990).

Mr. Kongstad graduated from the University of Oslo in 1979 with a degree in political science, history and public law. He was a research fellow at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute in Oslo in 1977. He was born in Oslo, Norway on 25 May 1952 and is married with three children.


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CR11/022E