Managing Assistance for Foreign Disaster Reconstruction

GAO examined foreign disaster reconstruction activities in several countries where the United States has been a recent and principal provider of assistance. Since 1976, the United States has provided more than $700 million for disaster relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction assistance. Disaster assistance is separated into three categories: emergency disaster relief, short-term rehabilitation, and long-term reconstruction. This report deals only with long-term disaster reconstruction. GAO examined the Agency for International Development's (AID) overall management of disaster reconstruction programs, with special emphasis on how well reconstruction projects are planned, implemented, and monitored. GAO also attempted to determine whether the programs are undertaken based on carefully identified needs.