Careers

International Affairs and Trade

Our Work
Recent Accomplishments
Ongoing Projects
Key Contacts

Our Work

The United States has become increasingly involved in international issues that range from advancing and protecting U.S. political and economic interests to responding to global market forces and national and worldwide security threats. The International Affairs and Trade team helps Congress address these issues by evaluating economic, political, and security problems worldwide.

We analyze the effectiveness and management of U.S. foreign aid programs, evaluate the efficiency and accountability of the United Nations (UN) and related multilateral organizations, and assess the strategies used to manage U.S. foreign affairs functions and activities. We review how effective federal agencies are in achieving international security objectives, combating international terrorism, and preventing the proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. We also evaluate how trade agreements and programs serve U.S. interests and assess how the United States can influence improvements in the world’s financial systems and counteract economic crises.

Our oversight work focuses primarily on the following:

    • Departments of State and Defense
    • U.S. Agency for International Development
    • Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
    • Broadcasting Board of Governors
    • Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, the Treasury, and Homeland Security
    • North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
    • World Bank
    • International Monetary Fund
    • United Nations

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Recent Accomplishments

    • Improved accountability over U.S. military assistance to Pakistan, resulting in the disallowal of over $670 million in Pakistani costs determined not to meet criteria for reimbursement.
    • Enhanced the State Department’s foreign language requirements for Foreign Service officers and expanded its language training efforts.
    • Improved the security of U.S. travel documents to help prevent U.S. travel document fraud.
    • Advanced UN management reforms and boosted UN employment of U.S. citizens.
    • Improved the efficiency and effectiveness of U.S. food aid through agencies’ enhanced monitoring and evaluation, quality control, and transportation and logistics.
    • Improved the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions against Iran.
    • Improved the State Department’s long-term management of New Embassy Compounds.
    • Reformed the U.S. export control system.
    • Strengthened U.S. agencies’ efforts to protect intellectual property rights.

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Ongoing Projects

    • Analyzing potential overlap and duplication in U.S. assistance provided to train and equip foreign police forces.
    • Evaluating the training programs of the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security.
    • Assessing U.S. government assistance for relief, recovery, and reconstruction efforts in Haiti.
    • Analyzing the gaps in foreign countries' capacity to prevent terrorist travel overseas and assessing the extent to which U.S. capacity-building programs address those gaps.
    • Examining the assistance that U.S. and UN agencies have provided to areas of Burma affected by Cyclone Nargis.
    • Evaluating the goals and activities of the International Trade Administration’s Commercial Service and its Manufacturing and Services.
    • Assessing the U.S. Government’s efforts to transition to a predominantly civilian presence in Iraq.
    • Assessing Pakistan's continuing cooperation with the U.S. government in countering terrorism and dismantling nuclear weapons-related supplier networks.
    • Assessing the State Department’s International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS) system.
    • Reviewing U.S. government efforts to improve the Afghan government's public financial management capacity and assessing the results of those efforts.
    • Examining the results of the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s assistance compacts.
    • Assessing the internal oversight operations of the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services.
    • Assessing U.S. assistance aimed at building the trade capacity of more than 100 countries.
    • Reviewing U.S. and international financial institutions' responses to food, fuel, and financial crises in low-income countries.

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Key Contacts

Managing Director: Loren Yager

Directors: Michael J. Courts (Acting), Jose A. Gomez (Acting), David B. Gootnick, Charles M. Johnson, Thomas Melito

Phone: (202) 512-4128

Mailing Address:

U.S. Government Accountability Office
International Affairs and Trade
Room 4T21
441 G Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20548

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