In its 2001 performance and accountability report on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), GAO identified important management issues facing the agency. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help sustain congressional and agency attention on continuing to make progress in addressing these challenges and ultimately overcoming them. This report is part of a special series of 23 reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues.

USAID faces a number of performance and accountability challenges that affect its ability to implement its foreign economic and humanitarian assistance programs. USAID has recognized that it needs to address these problems and has made some progress, but further action is needed as follows: Since the early 1990s, GAO has reported that USAID has made limited progress in addressing its human capital management challenges. Some progress has been made, such as implementing annual foreign service recruitment plans. However, the agency has not established and integrated a comprehensive workforce plan with its strategic goals and objectives. Developing such a plan is critical due to a reduction in the agency's workforce during the 1990s. USAID faces difficulties in identifying and collecting data that would enable it to develop reliable performance measures and accurately report the results of its programs. USAID has taken several steps to try to overcome these difficulties, such as holding training seminars in field missions. However, although USAID has made a serious effort to develop improved performance measures, it continues to report numerical outputs that do not measure the impact of its programs. USAID's ability to become a high-performing organization is also affected by its information technology and financial management challenges. USAID has recognized these challenges and has demonstrated a commitment to address them, such as establishing a structure for the acquisition of information technology and improving its computer security deficiencies. However, USAID's agency managers continue to lack complete, reliable, and timely information needed to make sound, cost-effective decisions. In addition, the agency has had long-standing financial management weaknesses and has been unable to provide its managers with reliable financial information.

Below are the reports in this series:

High-Risk Series: An Update GAO-03-119 Jan 1, 2003

High-Risk Series: Strategic Human Capital Management GAO-03-120 Jan 1, 2003

High-Risk Series: Protecting Information Systems Supporting the Federal Government and the Nation's Critical Infrastructures GAO-03-121 Jan 1, 2003

High-Risk Series: Federal Real Property GAO-03-122 Jan 1, 2003

Added later:

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Single-Employer Insurance Program: Long-Term Vulnerabilities Warrant 'High Risk' Designation GAO-03-1050SP Jul 23, 2003

Performance and Accountability Series:

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: A Governmentwide Perspective GAO-03-95 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Agriculture GAO-03-96 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Commerce GAO-03-97 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Defense GAO-03-98 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Education GAO-03-99 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Energy GAO-03-100 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Health and Human Services GAO-03-101 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Homeland Security GAO-03-102 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Housing and Urban Development GAO-03-103 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of the Interior GAO-03-104 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Justice GAO-03-105 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Labor GAO-03-106 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of State GAO-03-107 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Transportation GAO-03-108 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of the Treasury GAO-03-109 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Veterans Affairs GAO-03-110 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: U.S. Agency for International Development GAO-03-111 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Environmental Protection Agency GAO-03-112 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Federal Emergency Management Agency GAO-03-113 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: National Aeronautics and Space Administration GAO-03-114 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Office of Personnel Management GAO-03-115 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Small Business Administration GAO-03-116 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Social Security Administration GAO-03-117 Jan 1, 2003

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: U.S. Postal Service GAO-03-118 Jan 1, 2003