Sustaining Counternarcotics Activities
The Department of State has supported foreign governments’ efforts—primarily Afghanistan, Colombia, and Mexico—to eradicate illicit drug crops and disrupt drug traffickers’ operations. Since 2000, the United States has provided more than $7 billion for eradication, interdiction, and (with USAID) the development of legitimate economic alternatives to illicit crop production, as well as related programs, such as promoting democracy and strengthening the justice sector (with Justice). Despite some success, long-standing challenges remain, including
- continuing security risks in all three countries,
- limited institutional and financial capacity in Afghanistan,
Highlights of GAO-07-78 (PDF) - paramilitary and insurgent groups in Colombia,
Highlights of GAO-09-71 (PDF) - relatively small programs in Mexico, and
Highlights of GAO-07-1018 (PDF) - continuing shortcomings in other Central American and Caribbean nations’ capacity
to absorb the assistance, which will limit the effectiveness of U.S. programs.
Highlights of GAO-08-784 (PDF)
^ Back to topWhat Needs to Be Done
State needs to work with key agencies and relevant foreign governments to
- develop detailed plans for turning over operational and funding responsibilities
for U.S.-supported programs to Colombia;
Highlights of GAO-09-71 (PDF)
- more comprehensively and consistently report the results of transit zone
interdiction efforts, and develop a plan to ensure that partner nations in
the transit zone can effectively operate and maintain counternarcotics assets
that the United States has provided;
Highlights of GAO-08-784 (PDF)
- determine the feasibility of expanding the Container Security Initiative,
which is designed to increase security over container cargo shipped to the
United States, to include routine targeting and scanning of containers for
illicit drugs in major drug transit countries in the transit zone, and report
the results to Congress; and
Highlights of GAO-08-784 (PDF)
- coordinate with Mexican officials before completing the Southwest Border
Counternarcotics Strategy’s implementation plan to help ensure Mexico’s
collaboration.
Highlights of GAO-07-1018 (PDF)
^ Back to topKey Reports
- Plan Colombia: Drug Reduction Goals Were Not Fully Met, but Security Has Improved; U.S. Agencies Need More Detailed Plans for Reducing Assistance
- GAO-09-71, October 6, 2008
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 108 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)
- Drug Control: Cooperation with Many Major Drug Transit Countries Has Improved, but Better Performance Reporting and Sustainability Plans Are Needed
- GAO-08-784, July 15, 2008
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 65 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)
- Drug Control: U.S. Assistance Has Helped Mexican Counternarcotics Efforts, but Tons of Illicit Drugs Continue to Flow into the United States
- GAO-07-1018, August 17, 2007
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 51 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)
- Afghanistan Drug Control: Despite Improved Efforts, Deteriorating Security Threatens Success of U.S. Goals
- GAO-07-78, November 15, 2006
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 45 pages) Accessible Text
- Drug Control: Agencies Need to Plan for Likely Declines in Drug Interdiction Assets, and Develop Better Performance Measures for Transit Zone Operations
- GAO-06-200, November 15, 2005
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 52 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)
