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- Addressed

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- Partially Addressed

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- Not Addressed

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- Consolidated or Other

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- Pending

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- Closed-Partially Addressed

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- Closed-Not Addressed

Year Identified: 2019

Area Number: 12

Area Type: Fragmentation, Overlap & Duplication

Action:

The Secretary of State, in collaboration with the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Secretary of Defense, should document their agreement on coordination for U.S. stabilization efforts through formal written guidance and agreements that address key collaboration practices such as defining outcomes and accountability and clarifying roles and responsibilities for U.S. stabilization efforts.

Progress:

The Department of State (State) concurred with and addressed GAO’s September 2018 recommendation. In commenting on the report, State said that the GAO report reiterated a key finding of the Stabilization Assistance Review (publically released in June 2018) by highlighting the importance of a collaborative interagency effort with clear roles and responsibilities. State also reported that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Defense (DOD) are committed to codifying agreed roles and responsibilities. Subsequently, State—in collaboration with USAID and DOD—has taken steps that address this recommendation.

In February 2019, State, with the input and approval of USAID and DOD, released a cable with guidance to select overseas posts actively engaged in or planning for substantial foreign assistance to respond to ongoing and recent high levels of armed conflict in their host countries. The cable requested that the posts create and submit, by July 1, 2019, a whole-of-government “Stabilization Annex” to their recently-completed Integrated Country Strategies.

The cable and Stabilization Annex guidance and template address collaboration practices, for example, by identifying the agreed-upon interagency definition of stabilization, outlining agency roles and responsibilities, and requiring the annex to include metrics to monitor progress against interagency stabilization objectives.

Additionally, after reaching agreement with State and USAID, DOD updated and published DOD Directive 3000.05—Stabilization on December 13, 2018, which incorporated the agreed upon definition of stabilization, description of agency roles and responsibilities, and related policies and guidance.

By articulating their agreement in formal documents, the agencies can strengthen their coordination of U.S. stabilization efforts and could mitigate the risks associated with fragmentation, overlap, and duplication.

Action:

The Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, in collaboration with the Secretaries of Defense and State, should document their agreement on coordination for U.S. stabilization efforts through formal written guidance and agreements that address key collaboration practices such as defining outcomes and accountability and clarifying roles and responsibilities for U.S. stabilization efforts. 

Progress:

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) concurred with and addressed GAO’s September 2018 recommendation. In November 2018, USAID reported that the Department of State (State), USAID, and the Department of Defense (DOD) agreed to document their agreement in formal written guidance and agreements that address key collaboration practices. Subsequently, USAID—in collaboration with State and DOD—has taken steps that address this recommendation.

In February 2019, State, with the input and approval of USAID and DOD, released a cable with guidance to select overseas posts actively engaged in or planning for substantial foreign assistance to respond to ongoing and recent high levels of armed conflict in their host countries. The cable requested that the posts create and submit, by July 1, 2019, a whole-of-government “Stabilization Annex” to their recently-completed Integrated Country Strategies.

The cable and Stabilization Annex guidance and template address collaboration practices, for example, by identifying the agreed-upon interagency definition of stabilization, outlining agency roles and responsibilities, and requiring the annex to include metrics to monitor progress against interagency stabilization objectives. According to State, USAID and DOD provided constructive and substantive feedback on the content of the cable during both the informal and formal clearance processes.

Additionally, after reaching agreement with State and USAID, DOD updated and published DOD Directive 3000.05—Stabilization on December 13, 2018, which incorporated the agreed-upon definition of stabilization, description of agency roles and responsibilities, and related policies and guidance.

By articulating their agreement in formal documents, the agencies can strengthen their coordination of U.S. stabilization efforts and could mitigate the risks associated with fragmentation, overlap, and duplication.

Action:

The Secretary of Defense, in collaboration with the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Secretary of State, should document their agreement on coordination for U.S. stabilization efforts through formal written guidance and agreements that address key collaboration practices such as defining outcomes and accountability and clarifying roles and responsibilities for U.S. stabilization efforts. 

Progress:

The Department of Defense (DOD) concurred with and addressed GAO’s September 2018 recommendation. In commenting on the report, DOD said that it planned to work with the Department of State (State) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to document interagency coordination for U.S. stabilization efforts through formal written guidance and agreements that address key collaboration practices.

DOD reported that the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and USAID Administrator endorsed the Stabilization Assistance Review (publically released in June 2018) to formalize coordination, roles and responsibilities, and a common definition of stabilization. Subsequently, DOD updated and published DOD Directive 3000.05--Stabilization on December 13, 2018, which incorporated the agreed upon definition of stabilization, description of agency roles and responsibilities, and related policies and guidance.

DOD has taken additional steps, in collaboration with State and USAID, that address this recommendation. In February 2019, State, with the input and approval of USAID and DOD, released a cable with guidance to select overseas posts actively engaged in or planning for substantial foreign assistance to respond to ongoing and recent high levels of armed conflict in their host countries. The cable requested that the posts create and submit, by July 1, 2019, a whole-of-government “Stabilization Annex” to their recently-completed Integrated Country Strategies.

The cable and Stabilization Annex guidance and template address collaboration practices, for example, by identifying the agreed-upon interagency definition of stabilization, outlining agency roles and responsibilities, and requiring the annex to include metrics to monitor progress against interagency stabilization objectives. According to State, DOD and USAID provided constructive and substantive feedback on the content of the cable during both the informal and formal clearance processes.

By articulating their agreement in formal documents, the agencies can strengthen their coordination of U.S. stabilization efforts and could mitigate the risks associated with fragmentation, overlap, and duplication.