Summary: Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Agency for International Development's (AID) administration of $27.14 million in humanitarian aid to the Nicaraguan resistance.
GAO found that: (1) AID complied with legislative requirements by providing only authorized assistance and establishing new guidelines for family assistance payments; (2) AID implemented internal controls that adequately tracked and verified supply purchases, and maintained extensive oversight of program operations; (3) the removal of legislative limits on monthly spending allowed AID to procure greater quantities of supplies and services while reducing the frequency of deliveries; (4) AID contractors improved medical facilities and recruited and trained 6,000 resistance personnel in health, sanitation, and supply management practices, and vocational and literacy skills, but experienced problems in maintaining medical supply inventories; (5) 8,600 resistance members received human rights training through AID grants to nonprofit organizations; and (6) AID contracted with private firms to increase helicopter use and improve air transport capability.
