Audit Report
Report Number
9-000-24-001-P
Why We Did This Audit
- The advancement of democracy, human rights, and governance (DRG) is a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy and national security. However, democracy around the world is facing decline, and advances made over the last several decades are diminishing.
- Democracies in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region face challenges, such as corruption, weak institutions, inequalities, and erosion in social trust, which have been aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as extreme weather events and misinformation campaigns that have emboldened authoritative and antidemocratic governments.
- We initiated this audit to assess the extent to which (1) selected USAID missions in the LAC region adapted DRG programming in response to democratic backsliding and (2) interagency and internal coordination played a role in selected missions’ DRG programs in response to democratic backsliding.
What We Found
- Selected missions took steps to adapt DRG programs in response to democratic backsliding and identified the need for additional guidance.
- Interagency and internal coordination played a role in selected missions’ response to democratic backsliding, but USAID has not fully leveraged internal knowledge sharing.
Why It Matters
- For approximately 40 years, USAID has provided aid to the LAC region to bolster democratic institutions, and combatting democratic backsliding remains a key USAID priority.
- However, opportunities exist to strengthen practical guidance and knowledge sharing to ensure that missions in the region can learn from each other’s experiences and be better positioned to respond to challenges posed by democratic backsliding.
- We made two recommendations to improve the Agency’s ability to respond to democratic backsliding. USAID agreed with both recommendations.
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