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AID Recognizes Need To Improve the Foreign Economic Assistance Planning and Programming Process

NSIAD-85-110 Published: Aug 28, 1985. Publicly Released: Aug 28, 1985.
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Highlights

GAO reviewed the Agency for International Development's (AID) foreign economic assistance planning and programming process to determine whether opportunities exist for AID to streamline and improve the process.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
U.S. Agency for International Development The Administrator, AID, should implement the approved task force recommendation that country development strategy statements remain in effect for up to 4 years unless changing conditions necessitate a new strategy.
Closed – Implemented
AID implemented the recommendation that country development statements remain in effect for 3 years, and AID regional bureaus have instructed their missions to follow this procedure.
U.S. Agency for International Development The Administrator, AID, should encourage missions to submit alternative project proposals, particularly when missions are expanding activities, to give AID flexibility in making programming decisions.
Closed – Not Implemented
AID feels that, while some flexibility on project proposals is encouraged, proposals should flow from agreed upon strategies and be consistent with the statements and program review week processes. AID feels that it complied with the intent of this recommendation since programming guidance missions are encouraged to submit alternative project proposals consistent with the development strategies.
U.S. Agency for International Development The Administrator, AID, should request missions to provide sufficient information to enable AID to assess a project's consistency with approved strategies.
Closed – Implemented
AID reported that sufficient strategy-related information usually is provided in initial project proposals to permit a decision to develop the project further. Regional bureau guidance to missions for FY 1987 requires that information provided as part of the implementation plan be sufficient to determine the project's consistency with approved mission strategy.
U.S. Agency for International Development The Administrator, AID, should ensure that annual budget submission review results are promptly communicated to missions for guidance and use in subsequent project design and development.
Closed – Implemented
AID reported that senior mission officials participate in the newly introduced annual program reviews, thereby ensuring that the results are immediately known in the field. Also, AID regional bureau guidance to missions for FY 1987 specifically required that a cable be sent to the missions summarizing the decisions reached during the program review week.
U.S. Agency for International Development The Administrator, AID, should apply the successful project review components of the Asia Bureau experiment to other regional bureaus and missions on a case-by-case basis, while recognizing the varying capabilities of missions to exercise increased project approval authority.
Closed – Implemented
AID reported that it agreed with the recommendation and, in December 1984, it extended project review and approval authority to other bureaus on a case-by-case basis. AID stated that it is now possible to permit project approval for projects up to $20 million.

Full Report

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Topics

BudgetingForeign economic assistanceInternational food programsPlanningProgram evaluationProgram managementBudget submissionsBudget processForeign assistanceIdentification documents