Drug Control: Specific Performance Measures and Long-Term Costs for U.S. Programs in Colombia Have Not Been Developed
GAO-03-783
Published: Jun 16, 2003. Publicly Released: Jun 24, 2003.
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Highlights
The United States has been providing assistance to Colombia since the early 1970s to help reduce illegal drug activities. In fiscal years 2000-03 alone, the United States provided over $2.5 billion. Despite this assistance, Colombia remains the world's leading producer and distributor of cocaine and a major source of the heroin used in the United States. The report discusses the status of U.S. counternarcotics assistance to the Colombian Army and for a U.S.-supported Colombian police aerial eradication program. It also addresses challenges Colombia and the United States face in sustaining these programs.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of State | Because Colombia continues to face serious obstacles in substantially curtailing illicit narcotics activities and resolving its long-standing insurgency, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, should examine the U.S. assistance programs to the Colombian Army and the Colombian National Police to (1) establish clear objectives for the programs reflecting these obstacles and (2) estimate future annual funding requirements for U.S. support. This analysis should designate specific performance measures for assessing progress, define the roles of U.S. personnel and contractors, and develop a timeline for achieving the stated objectives. The Secretary should provide this information to the Congress for consideration in the fiscal year 2005 appropriations cycle. |
Closed – Not Implemented
Although the Departments of Defense and State concurred with the original recommendation, the recommendation was not acted on. According to a State official, who had the lead to carry out the recommendation, the timing to work with Colombia and agree to a mutually acceptable plan as envisioned by GAO did not work out in light of the exigencies in Afghanistan, Iraq, and West Bank and Gaza.
|
| Department of Defense | Because Colombia continues to face serious obstacles in substantially curtailing illicit narcotics activities and resolving its long-standing insurgency, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, should examine the U.S. assistance programs to the Colombian Army and the Colombian National Police to (1) establish clear objectives for the programs reflecting these obstacles and (2) estimate future annual funding requirements for U.S. support. This analysis should designate specific performance measures for assessing progress, define the roles of U.S. personnel and contractors, and develop a timeline for achieving the stated objectives. The Secretary should provide this information to the Congress for consideration in the fiscal year 2005 appropriations cycle. |
Closed – Not Implemented
Although the Departments of Defense and State concurred with the original recommendation, the recommendation was not acted on. According to a State official, who had the lead to carry out the recommendation, the timing to work with Colombia and agree to a mutually acceptable plan as envisioned by GAO did not work out in light of the exigencies in Afghanistan, Iraq, and West Bank and Gaza.
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Topics
Drug traffickingDrugsForeign economic assistanceForeign military assistanceForeign military trainingInternational relationsNarcoticsStrategic planningCounternarcoticsU.S. Army