Kigali: The US State Department has granted a multi-million dollar contract to Northrop Grumman Corporation, a leading global security company to train Rwandan soldiers in peacekeeping operations, the firm announced.

The $8 million orders, under the US African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program, are each for one base year with a six-month option period. Kenya and Burundi will also benefit from the program.

Rwanda has some 3500 troops in Sudan and hundreds of police in other UN operations.

Northrop said Tuesday that the work to be performed involves peace support operations training, train-the-trainer courses for peacekeeping cadre and enhancing the capacity of all three countries to participate in multinational peacekeeping operations.