International Military Education and Training (IMET) funds serve both to promote regional security and to strengthen democratic institutions. The Nicaraguan National Army (EN), once at the service of Sandinista political leadership, has made significant strides in professionalizing and depoliticizing its officer corps, and in submitting to the direction of a civilian President and a civilian Minister of Defense. To continue this process, courses in military resource management, human rights, and the role of a modern military within a democratic framework are crucial if Nicaraguan civilian leaders - many of whom have little direct experience with military institutions - are to lead the EN effectively.

IMET courses taken by Nicaraguan personnel, 2000:²

Funding amounts and numbers of students may not match the numbers indicated in the table on the main IMET page. This owes to (1) discrepancies between two Department of Defense source documents, and/or (2) the possibility that some students took more than one course.

IMET courses taken by Nicaraguan personnel, 1999:³

Funding amounts and numbers of students may not match the numbers indicated in the table on the main IMET page. This owes to (1) discrepancies between two Department of Defense source documents, and/or (2) the possibility that some students took more than one course.

IMET courses taken by Nicaraguan personnel, 1998:⁴

The total number of students may not match the number indicated in the table on the main IMET page. This owes to either (1) discrepancies between two Department of Defense source documents, or (2) the possibility that some students took more than one course.

IMET recipient units, 1998:

Expanded IMET courses

Source:

¹ United States, Department of State, FY 2003 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (Washington, DC: Department of State, April 15, 2002) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2003/>.

²United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training and DoD Engagement Activities of Interest (Washington: March 2001) <http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rpt/2001/fmtrpt/>.

³United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training and DoD Engagement Activities of Interest in Fiscal Years 1999 and 2000: A Report to Congress (Washington: March 2000) <http://www.state.gov/www/global/arms/fmtrain/toc.html>.

⁴United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training and DoD Engagement Activities of Interest in Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999: A Report to Congress (Washington: March 1999).