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U.S. Participation in U.N. Program Budgets

NSIAD-85-14 Published: Dec 28, 1984. Publicly Released: Dec 28, 1984.
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Highlights

In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed U.S. participation in the budget process of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of State The Secretary of State should promote the interagency consultation and planning necessary for developing strategies and action plans, determining means for implementation, and designating tasks and responsibilities for earlier U.S. involvement in U.N. agencies. The approach applied to the 1984-85 International Labor Organization (ILO) budget is one example of how this might be done. Such efforts should begin on a selective agency-by-agency basis and should weigh the relative needs for this additional emphasis in particular U.N. agencies and the availability of staffing and funding resources to carry out the new initiatives.
Closed – Implemented
State has not tried to replicate the ILO approach because of cost and personnel constraints. Alternative measures include: (1) directives for earlier and more direct U.S. involvement in the budget process; (2) emphasis on interagency participation in policy implementation and review; and (3) initiation of assessments of U.N. organization field programs.

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Topics

Cost controlFood relief programsInteragency relationsInternational cooperationInternational economic relationsPlanning programming budgetingZero-base budgetingInternational organizationsBudgetingBudget process