Building Partner Capacity: Inventory of Department of Defense Security Cooperation and Department of State Security Assistance Efforts
Abstract
Since the terrorist attacks on the United States in September 2001, the U.S. government has engaged in numerous efforts to build the capacity of foreign partners to address security-related threatsan objective that has become increasingly prominent in U.S. national security strategy and foreign policy in recent years. Much of U.S. assistance intended for this purpose has been undertaken as security cooperation efforts by the Department of Defense (DOD) and as security assistance efforts by the Department of State (State), with the help of various implementing partners. (footnote 1) However, according to the RAND Corporation (RAND), the rapid growth of legal authorities and programs associated with security cooperation and assistance has led to redundancies, limitations, and gaps. (footnote 2) RAND also noted that this rapid growth of legal authorities and programs has led to expanding demands on DOD staff who must navigate through them as well as through unsynchronized processes, resources, programs, and organizations to execute individual initiatives with partner nations. Members of Congress have raised questions about the proliferation and duplication of efforts to build partner security capabilities and the supporting legal authorities. In addition, Members of Congress have raised questions about whether DOD security cooperation efforts lack strategic direction and may not act in concert with other efforts.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 24, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1030629
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office