Skip to main content

Stabilizing and Rebuilding Iraq: Serious Challenges Confront U.S. Efforts to Build the Capacity of Iraqi Ministries

GAO-08-124T Published: Oct 04, 2007. Publicly Released: Oct 04, 2007.
Jump To:
Skip to Highlights

Highlights

The development of competent and loyal government ministries is critical to stabilizing and rebuilding Iraq. The ministries are Iraq's largest employer, with an estimated 2.2 million government workers. U.S. efforts to build the capacity of Iraqi ministries include programs to advise and help Iraqi government employees develop the skills to plan programs, execute budgets, and effectively deliver services. The administration received $140 million in fiscal year 2007 to fund U.S. capacity-building efforts and requested an additional $255 million for fiscal year 2008. This testimony discusses (1) U.S. efforts to develop ministry capacity, (2) the key challenges to these efforts, and (3) the extent to which the U.S. government has an overall integrated strategy. This statement is based on GAO-08-117. To accomplish our report objectives, we reviewed reports from and interviewed officials of U.S. agencies, the Iraqi government, the United Nations, and the World Bank. We conducted fieldwork in Washington, D.C.; New York City; Baghdad, Iraq; and Amman, Jordan.

Full Report

Office of Public Affairs

Topics

Agency missionsCost analysisFederal aid to foreign countriesForeign governmentsInternational organizationsInternational relationsIraq War and reconstructionPerformance measuresProcurement planningProgram evaluationRisk assessmentStrategic planningProgram coordinationProgram implementation