WASHINGTON, DC - The Inspectors General for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of State, and the Department of Defense have issued their first Quarterly Progress and Oversight Report on the Civilian Assistance Program in Pakistan. The report covers the period from October 15, 2009, when the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 became law, through March 31, 2010.
Several U.S. departments and agencies carry out civilian assistance programs in Pakistan. USAID, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Commerce are, or will be, implementing most programs in the areas of high-impact infrastructure, post-crisis humanitarian assistance, education and health services, and governance, while the U.S. Embassy's Narcotics Affairs Section is taking the lead to improve security and legal institutions. Since these departments and agencies have not yet received appropriations under the act, they have developed strategies to accomplish the act's objectives, using existing programs and sources of funding to support these strategies.
U.S. departments and agencies working in Pakistan, with their respective oversight organizations, have identified risks and implementation issues that could threaten the success of their assistance programs. The most important risks and implementation issues involve the need to sustain political support for principles that underlie the assistance programs, security threats that complicate implementation and monitoring of the assistance programs, and limited Pakistani Government institutional capacity. Although strategies to address these challenges have been developed and are being implemented, the challenges demand sustained attention and monitoring.
To protect U.S. Government funds from waste and diversion, oversight organizations are expanding audit, inspections, and investigations programs and partnering with Pakistani institutions, including the Office of the Auditor General, the National Accountability Bureau, and Pakistani public accounting firms.
The information on program status in the report was provided by the departments and agencies working in Pakistan, the results of oversight work, and other sources. The program oversight results are taken from audits, investigations, and inspections performed by the Offices of Inspector General for USAID, the Department of State, and the Department of Defense, as well as the U.S. Government Accountability Office.