African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance

American soldier instructing Senegalese soldiers on U.N. peacekeeping policies during training for the African Crisis Response Initiative in Thiès, Senegal.

The African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program, formerly the African Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI), is a United States program to train military trainers and equip African national militaries to conduct peace support operations and humanitarian relief.

The ACOTA program, which succeeded ACRI in 2004, aims to increase the capabilities of African military forces in areas such as human rights, interaction with civil society, international law, military staff skills, and small unit operations. Over 40,000 African soldiers will be trained in peacekeeping over five years.[1] The African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program has a record of supporting African military forces that have afterwards participated in peacekeeping or peace support activities in the continent.[2] The program is funded by the US Department of State peacekeeping operations account.[3]

  1. ^ "Fact Sheet: United States and G8 Renew Strong Commitment to Africa". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved September 2, 2013 – via National Archives.
  2. ^ "Creating Sustainable Peacekeeping Capability in Africa". Africa Center for Strategic Studies. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  3. ^ "Africa Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI)". Retrieved September 6, 2013.