Careers

International Affairs and Trade

Our Work
Recent Accomplishments
Ongoing Projects
Key Contacts

Our Work

The United States has become increasingly involved in international issues that range from advancing and protecting U.S. political and economic interests to responding to global market forces and national and worldwide security threats. The International Affairs and Trade team helps Congress address these issues by evaluating economic, political, and security problems worldwide.

We analyze the effectiveness and management of U.S. foreign aid programs, evaluate the efficiency and accountability of the United Nations (UN) and related multilateral organizations, and assess the strategies used to manage U.S. foreign affairs functions and activities. We review how effective federal agencies are in achieving international security objectives, combating international terrorism, and preventing the proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. We also evaluate how trade agreements and programs serve U.S. interests and assess how the United States can influence improvements in the world’s financial systems and counteract economic crises.

Our oversight responsibilities primarily include the following agencies and entities:

    • Department of State.
    • U.S. Agency for International Development.
    • Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
    • Broadcasting Board of Governors.
    • Some functions of the Departments of Commerce, Defense, the Treasury, and Homeland Security.
    • NATO.
    • World Bank.
    • International Monetary Fund.
    • United Nations.

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Recent Accomplishments

    • Prompting the Department of State to strengthen passport and visa issuance processes.
    • Increasing accountability of disaster recovery assistance to Central America following Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and numerous Asian countries affected by the December 2004 tsunami.
    • Prompting Congress to reduce the President's fiscal year 2006 appropriations for The Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) by $1.23 billion.
    • Streamlining the U.S. government’s overseas presence, which resulted in a cost avoidance of about $83 million.
    • Convincing the Department of State to strengthen its vetting of foreign security units that receive U.S. security assistance to ensure that foreign candidates comply with human rights restrictions.
    • Tracking the impact of U.S. reconstruction efforts in Iraq, and clarifying the roles and responsibilities of U.S. government agencies and the results achieved.
    • Advancing UN management reforms, including the independence of the UN Internal Oversight Unit and UN procurement reform.
    • Advancing an improved International Trade Advisory Committee System that provides more relevant private-sector input to U.S. trade negotiators.
    • Strengthening controls over the conflict diamond trade and the international certification system for rough diamonds, known as the Kimberley Process.

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Ongoing Projects

    • Assessing public diplomacy programs designed to improve the U.S. image abroad.
    • Examining various U.S. and multilateral foreign assistance programs, such as those related to international education, human trafficking, food aid, and child survival.
    • Analyzing U.S. and international efforts to train and equip police and military units in Afghanistan and Iraq.
    • Evaluating U.S. activities related to international disease surveillance and preventing an avian influenza pandemic.
    • Monitoring ongoing trade negotiations, including those at the World Trade Organization.
    • Evaluating U.S. programs that seek to stabilize and rebuild Afghanistan and Iraq and other conflict areas.
    • Reviewing the UN’s roles and responsibilities in Burma for providing social and humanitarian aid.
    • Examining the economic analyses underpinning financing decisions by the Export-Import Bank and MCC.
    • Improving collection of tariffs and antidumping duties on unfairly traded imports.
    • Assessing U.S. efforts to enhance international protection of intellectual property rights, overseas law enforcement, and drug interdiction.
    • Assessing U.S. disaster relief assistance for countries struck by the tsunami in south Asia.

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Key Contacts

Managing Director: Jacquelyn L. Williams-Bridgers

Directors: Joseph A. Christoff, Jess T. Ford, David B. Gootnick, Charles Johnson, Thomas Melito, Loren Yager

Phone: (202) 512-4128

Mailing Address:

U.S. Government Accountability Office
International Affairs and Trade
Room 4T55A
441 G Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20548

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