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Oversight of USAID's Humanitarian Response in Gaza
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On July 25, OIG issued an advisory notice assessing USAID’s oversight policies to prevent the diversion of USAID-funded assistance to Hamas and other designated terrorist organizations in Gaza.
As a part of the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act 2024 (P.L. 118-50), USAID and the Department of State were required to provide “a written description of the oversight policies, processes, and procedures for funds appropriated by the Act that are made available for assistance for Gaza, including responses should such assistance be diverted, misused, or destroyed, and the role of the assistance.” This written description was transmitted in a May 20, 2024, memorandum to Congress.
This advisory uses USAID OIG’s prior oversight of USAID programming in complex emergency environments to identify vulnerabilities that exist within several of the controls that USAID identified in the May 20 memorandum.
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USAID and the Department of Defense (DoD) offices of inspector general (OIG) have launched coordinated, independent oversight projects related to the delivery and distribution of U.S. humanitarian assistance to Gaza through the maritime corridor.
Photo Credit: USAID Flickr
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OIG released a notice to the international aid sector alerting them to promptly report to OIG allegations that USAID funds have been distributed or otherwise transmitted to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which is precluded by law from receiving U.S. government funding.
This alert was also issued in Arabic.
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This Semiannual Report to Congress highlights OIG’s work between October 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024. Featured work during this period includes oversight of USAID's programming in Ukraine, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Latin America.
This report also highlights OIG's recent investigative work in combating trafficking in persons in Lebanon, diversion of aid in Ethiopia, and OIG's role in the arrest of a high-ranking MS-13 fugitive on a terrorism indictment.
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Audits, Inspections, and Evaluations Updates
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We conducted this audit to determine the extent to which selected USAID missions and the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) implemented procedures for managing risks when selecting local entities for awards in Latin America and the Carribean (LAC).
We found that the three USAID missions we reviewed implemented certain required agency procedures before making awards to LAC entities but missed opportunities to enhance risk management. We also found that IAF implemented risk management procedures before awarding LAC grants but did not follow certain Federal requirements or use an enterprise risk management framework to inform its practices.
We made six recommendations to improve compliance with agency and Federal requirements and strengthen pre-award risk management procedures.
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Audit of USAID's Climate Strategy
We initiated this audit to assess whether USAID has quality information to support implementation of its 2022–2030 climate strategy of mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 6 billion metric tons; conserving, restoring, or managing 100 million hectares of natural ecosystems; and mobilizing $150 billion of public and private finance to address climate change.
We found that USAID did not have quality data to support its efforts to implement a comprehensive climate strategy. We also found that weaknesses in the Agency’s processes for awarding funds, managing performance, and communicating climate change information could impede successful implementation of its strategy.
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We initiated this audit to (1) determine the extent to which Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) conducted oversight of Millennium Challenge Accounts' (MCAs) pre-award procurement process for select compacts and (2) examine MCC’s actions, and their effects, to address risks identified through the post-award oversight of select MCC-funded compact procurements.
We found MCC did not consistently conduct or document oversight of MCAs’ pre-award procurement processes for select compacts. We also found that MCC did not consistently use post-award oversight tools to document and retain site visit reports and address risks to select compacts.
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Non-Federal Audits
- We are performing quality control over audits of USAID and MCC grantees completed by non-Federal independent public accounting firms. Memos of our non-Federal review transmittals are published on our Plans and Reports page.
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USAID OIG investigators played a critical role in securing the indictment of a U.S. embassy employee in Burkina Faso charged with sexually abusing two minor victims. OIG investigators worked alongside the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland, Diplomatic Security Service’s Office of Special Investigations, and Homeland Security Investigations to reach this indictment.
Read the full details in the DOJ press release below.
USAID OIG initiated an investigation into child labor allegations with a company in Zahle, Lebanon that received a USAID-funded subaward of $89,798, to support ecotourism and agrotourism in Lebanon. The investigation found that the company employed children in various positions and also transported the children to the company’s location from what witnesses described as local Syrian refugee camps. Investigators interviewed the owner and manager who admitted to employing multiple minors.
USAID terminated the subaward and issued two-year government-wide debarments for the owner/manager and his company.
USAID OIG initiated an investigation into allegations that a former Chief of Party (COP) fraudulently claimed a Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance (TQSA) under the USAID-funded Public Accountability and Justice Strengthening Activity Project in Jordan. The investigation found that the former COP fraudulently claimed TQSA for an apartment in Amman while he lived in a separate Jordan-based apartment with his wife.
As a result, the former COP was debarred from working with the U.S. government for three years, and the awardee reimbursed $96,442 to USAID.
OIG-Issued Fraud Alerts
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Congressional Engagements
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Best Practices for Oversight of Foreign Assistance Implementers
USAID and the U.S. Department of State OIGs jointly submitted to Congress a report and briefer focused on best practices for oversight of foreign assistance implementers. The OIGs submitted the report and briefer in accordance with a requirement in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, 2024, P.L. 118-47.
Read the report and briefer below.
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More Engagements
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