Armed Forces Day in São Tomé and Príncipe

The Armed Forces of São Tomé and Príncipe (FASTP) is the armed forces of the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe, off the coast of West Africa. The FASTP were established on September 6, 1975 are still a very small force, consisting of two branches: Army and Coast Guard. The islands' army consists of a small land and naval contingent, with a limited budget. Situated next to a strategically important sea route of communication in the Gulf of Guinea, due to recent concerns over regional security issues, including security for tankers transiting the area, the U.S. military and other foreign navies have increased their involvement with the FASTP, providing the country with assistance in the form of construction projects and training missions, as well as integration into international intelligence and information sharing programs.