Summary: Peacekeeping operations, with an annual tab of nearly $2.5 billion, are among the most important and costly activities undertaken by the United Nations. The U.N. Security Council authorizes proposed peacekeeping efforts, while the General Assembly reviews and approves the operations' budgets. Most of the financial backing for these operations has come from the five permanent members of the Security Council. With the growing number and cost of these operations, however, the United States is shouldering a major financial burden at a time when other countries' ability to pay has increased. As the main overseer of U.S. participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations, the State Department is responsible for ensuring that U.S. funds are well spent. State has not, however, done field-level monitoring of the economy and efficiency of these operations. During visits to peacekeeping locations, GAO found opportunities to cut costs and improve efficiency. U.N. requests for Defense Department (DOD) assistance have expanded, but the Pentagon's procedures for providing, controlling, and reporting this assistance are far from up-to-date. Some regional and international groups have peacekeeping roles that complement U.N. efforts, but the use of these organizations has both advantages and disadvantages.
