Iraqi and Syrian Cultural Property: U.S. Government Committee Should Incorporate Additional Collaboration Practices
Fast Facts
Conflicts in Iraq and Syria have led to the destruction, looting, and trafficking of cultural property by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, as well as others. In an effort to protect this property and in response to Congress, the Department of State established a cultural heritage coordinating committee in 2016 consisting of nine federal entities.
We found that the committee has made progress by identifying leadership and including relevant participants. However, we recommend that the Department of State work with other committee members to develop goals, clarify roles, and document collaborative agreement within the group.
Ceremonial Sword Repatriated to Iraq by Department of Homeland Security in 2013
Photo of an ornate sword and its scabbard.
Highlights
What GAO Found
GAO's examination of 17 cultural property investigations shows that the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Justice (DOJ) have taken a number of actions to enforce laws and regulations related to restricted Iraqi and Syrian cultural property. DHS's Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has taken actions such as monitoring shipments and detaining and seizing suspected items of restricted cultural property. CBP coordinates with DHS's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which investigates objects; detains, seizes, and obtains forfeiture of items found to be in violation of U.S. law; and repatriates cultural property to its rightful owner. For example, ICE conducted an investigation into an Iraqi ceremonial sword for sale at an auction in the United States and then seized, obtained forfeiture of, and repatriated it to Iraq in July 2013 (see fig.). DOJ actions to address restricted Iraqi and Syrian cultural property include activities by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and DOJ attorneys to investigate and prosecute criminal violations, as well as actions related to the forfeiture and repatriation of cultural property items.
Ceremonial Sword Repatriated to Iraq by Department of Homeland Security in 2013
The Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee (CHCC), established in November 2016 with nine participating federal entities and led by the Department of State (State), has followed several of the key collaboration practices identified by GAO but has not demonstrated others. GAO has previously identified key practices for organizations to enhance and sustain their collaborative efforts. The CHCC has followed key practices of identifying leadership; including relevant participants; bridging organizational cultures, such as agreeing on common terminology; and addressing resource issues. Most participants also reported that the CHCC was a helpful forum for sharing information. However, the CHCC has not fully demonstrated other key practices for enhancing collaboration. First, the CHCC and two of its three working groups have not developed short- and long-term goals. Moreover, the CHCC has not clarified participants' roles and responsibilities on the committee or its working groups. Finally, CHCC participants have not documented agreements related to collaboration, such as developing written materials to articulate common objectives. Incorporating these practices could help participants work collectively, focus on common goals, and organize joint and individual efforts to protect cultural property as the CHCC continues its efforts beyond its first year.
Why GAO Did This Study
The conflicts in Iraq and Syria that began in 2003 and 2011, respectively, have led to the destruction, looting, and trafficking of cultural property by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and others. The United Nations called these events the worst cultural heritage crisis since World War II and reported that ISIS has used the sale of looted Iraqi and Syrian cultural property to support its terrorist activities. Congress authorized and the President imposed import restrictions on archaeological or ethnological material of Iraq in 2008 and Syria in 2016. The act directing Syrian restrictions also includes a sense of Congress that the President should establish an interagency committee to coordinate executive branch efforts on international cultural property protection.
GAO was asked to review U.S. efforts to protect Iraqi and Syrian cultural property. This report examines (1) actions DHS and DOJ have taken to enforce U.S. laws and regulations involving restrictions on such property and (2) the extent to which CHCC participants collaborate to protect cultural property. GAO reviewed documents related to 17 DHS- or DOJ-led cultural property investigations, interviewed officials, and assessed the extent of CHCC collaboration using GAO's key practices.
Recommendations
GAO recommends that State work with other CHCC participants to (1) develop goals, (2) clarify participants' roles and responsibilities, and (3) document collaborative agreement in the CHCC and its working groups. State concurs with GAO's recommendations.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of State | The Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs should work with other U.S. federal entities participating in the CHCC to develop goals for the CHCC and its working groups. (Recommendation 1) |
GAO reported in September 2017 that the Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee (CHCC), an interagency committee established by the Department of State (State) to coordinate executive branch efforts on international cultural property protection, had not developed goals for the committee and its working groups. Specifically, GAO found that the CHCC and two of its three working groups had not developed short- and long-term goals, which GAO has previously found can enhance and sustain agency collaborative efforts. GAO recommended that the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs work with other U.S. federal entities participating in the CHCC to develop goals for the CHCC and its working groups. In responding to a draft copy of our report, State noted its concurrence with GAO's recommendation, and CHCC participants discussed their efforts to address GAO's recommendations in CHCC meetings held in September and December 2017. In February 2018, State provided GAO with CHCC-approved mission statements and goals for the CHCC and for its three working groups. Furthermore, the three CHCC working groups established short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals, as GAO's key collaborative practice of organizational outcomes and accountability suggests. With clearly developed goals, participants of the CHCC and its working groups can better shape the vision and purpose of their organizations.
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| Department of State | The Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs should work with other U.S. federal entities participating in the CHCC to clarify participants' roles and responsibilities in the CHCC and its working groups. (Recommendation 2) |
GAO reported in September 2017 that the Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee (CHCC), an inter-agency committee established by the Department of State (State) to coordinate executive branch efforts on international cultural property protection, had not clarified participants' roles and responsibilities-an action that could enhance and sustain the group's collaborative efforts. Specifically, GAO found that there was no consensus and no clear delineation of the specific roles and responsibilities of the participating entities on the CHCC and its working groups. GAO recommended that the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs work with other U.S. federal entities participating in the CHCC to clarify participants' roles and responsibilities. In responding to a draft copy of our report, State noted its concurrence with the need to clarify roles and responsibilities, and CHCC participants discussed their efforts to address GAO's recommendations in CHCC meetings held in September and December 2017. In February 2018, State provided GAO with a document that lists all CHCC participating entities' roles and responsibilities for international cultural property protection. In addition, the CHCC and its three working groups identified a primary entity to lead the group's effort. For example, State leads the full CHCC committee and the Cultural Antiquities Task Force, a CHCC working group. The chairs of the full committee and its working groups have continued their leadership roles by holding meetings and leading activities. As GAO's key collaborative practices noted, clarity can come from agencies working together to define and agree on their respective roles and responsibilities, which enhances collaboration.
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| Department of State | The Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs should work with other U.S. federal entities participating in the CHCC to document agreement about how the CHCC and its working groups will collaborate, such as their goals and participants' roles and responsibilities. (Recommendation 3) |
GAO reported in September 2017 that the Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee (CHCC), an interagency committee established by the Department of State (State) to coordinate executive branch efforts on international cultural property protection, had not documented agreement among the group's participants regarding their collaborative efforts. GAO recommended that the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs work with other U.S. federal entities participating in the CHCC to document agreement about how the CHCC and its working groups will collaborate, such as their goals and participants' roles and responsibilities. In responding to a draft copy of our report, State noted its concurrence with the need to document its collaborative efforts. In February 2018, State provided GAO with CHCC-approved written mission statements and goals for the CHCC and for three of its working groups, as well as a document that lists all participating entities' roles and responsibilities. Moreover, the CHCC continued to produce written notes after its meetings. For example, the CHCC produced a summary of meeting minutes after its December 2017 meeting that provided details on progress made and areas of focus in 2017, updates and plans for each of the three CHCC working groups, and plans for meetings and events in 2018. GAO's prior work found that agencies that articulate their agreements in formal documents can strengthen their commitment to working collaboratively. Developing such documents could help participants work collectively, focus on common goals, and organize joint and individual efforts to protect cultural property.
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