The Office of Security Cooperation (OSC) of the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti began a nine-week training program, October 9, 2011, for the newest battalion of the Djiboutian Armed Forces (FAD). This recently created 850 troop peacekeeping unit will deploy in the coming months as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

The unit, which is organized as a motorized infantry battalion, includes male and female soldiers with a variety of skill sets, as well as gendarmes, civilian police officers, and an attached group of 100 military trainers, who will work to build the security capabilities of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in Somalia.

The training is sponsored by the Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance Program (ACOTA) through the U.S. State Department. This program, in conjunction with Africa Peacekeeping Program (AFRICAP), has already provided more than $6.8 million to Djibouti via training, equipment, and basic facilities construction, and will provide more to support Djibouti's continuing peacekeeping efforts in the future.