U.S. Employment in the United Nations: State Department Needs to Enhance Reporting Requirements and Evaluate Its Efforts to Increase U.S. Representation

In a September 2010 letter, State concurred with the GAO recommendation and commented that it planned to seek additional summary information on nongeographic positions to include in its annual report to Congress on U.S. representation in UN organizations. State further noted in January 2011 letters to House and Senate oversight committees that State would be requesting Embassies and Missions to seek from international organizations information on nongeographic positions and State expected to incorporate some of these new data into its calendar year 2010 annual report. State's 2010 and 2011 report to Congress included data chart on American employees in UN organizations in all international professional positions. State's 2010 report noted that this additional reporting was recommended by GAO in 2010 and provided an additional perspective on American employment in international organizations. In State's January 2013 cables to embassies and missions, the department requested that missions include charts on the number of all internationally recruited professional positions, regardless of funding sources or geographic designation.

In a September 2010 letter, State concurred with the GAO recommendation and commented that a key tool for making decisions on priorities and directions for some of its approaches will be its new Web-based tool, designed to enhance outreach to Americans on opportunities in the UN system. State further noted in January 2011 letters to House and Senate oversight committees that State had begun to evaluate its ongoing efforts to increase U.S. representation in UN organizations. State developed a participant questionnaire for use at information sessions to assess participants' awareness of State's services and the value of the information State provided to participants. According to State, the information from the questionnaire was used to assess State's focus and handouts to be used at future events. In addition, State compiled data on the number of new subscribers since the launching of its Web site in 2010, which showed an upward trend of the number of subscribers. State also conducted analysis to determine any correlation between State's outreach events and any increases to subscriptions to State's job alerts database.

In a September 2010 letter, State concurred with the GAO recommendation and commented that it would consider funding for JPOs at UN organizations in conjunction with other funding priorities. State reiterated its consideration to fund JPOs in January 2011 letters to House and Senate oversight committees. In January 2013, State signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Associate Expert program (the UN Secretariat's version of JPO program) in January 2013. According to State, this marked the first time any agency of the USG has participated in this program and the first time that funding managed by State's International Organization Bureau has been used to fund a JPO or AE. State advertised for the AE position, recruited over 500 potential applicants to fill this position and the UN recently selected a candidate for this position.