Audit of Department of State Protocols for Establishing and Operating Remote Diplomatic Missions

Submitting OIG:

Department of State OIG

Date Issued:

Friday, July 30, 2021

Agency Reviewed / Investigated:

Department of State

Submitting OIG-Specific Report Number:

AUD-MERO-21-33

Component, if applicable:

Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance

Location(s):

Venezuela

Yemen

Somalia

Type of Report:

Audit

Questioned Costs:

Funds for Better Use:

Number of Recommendations:

View Document:

Attachment	Size
AUD-MERO-21-33-Web-Posting508.pdf	5.27 MB

Recommendation Number	Recommendation Status	Significant Recommendation
1	Open	No
OIG recommends that the Under Secretary for Management, in coordination with the regional bureaus, develop and implement guidance to include criteria, standards, and other direction, as appropriate, for opening and closing those missions that may temporarily establish operations outside of their respective host countries. The guidance should include criteria and standards to inform when, where, and how such missions should be established.
2	Open	No
OIG recommends that the Under Secretary for Management, in coordination with the regional bureaus, develop guidance requiring regional bureaus to implement a process to periodically reevaluate the status of those missions that have temporarily established operations outside of their respective host countries to determine whether those missions should continue to exist in their current form.
3	Open	No
OIG recommends that the Under Secretary for Management, in coordination with the regional bureaus and the Office of the Legal Adviser, develop and implement guidance regarding the creation, content, and periodic reevaluation of memoranda of understanding to facilitate working relationships and resource sharing agreements between those missions that have temporarily established operations outside of their host countries and their respective host missions.
4	Open	No
OIG recommends that the Under Secretary for Management, in coordination with the regional bureaus, develop and implement a template for the memoranda of understanding that can be used to facilitate working relationships and resource sharing agreements between those missions that have temporarily established operations outside of their host countries and their respective host missions.
7	Open	No
OIG recommends that the Under Secretary for Management, in coordination with the Office of the Legal Adviser and the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, develop and implement guidance in the Foreign Affairs Handbook, 12 FAH-1 Addendum 2.1, for those missions that have temporarily established operations outside of their host countries to consult with the Office of the Legal Adviser, and Bureaus of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services and Overseas Buildings Operations for legal, financial, and operational information to determine retention or disposition of leased property.
14	Open	No
OIG recommends that the Under Secretary for Management, in coordination with the regional bureaus, develop and implement guidance regarding the day-to-day operations of remote missions with a focus on those functions that may be impacted by operating remotely such as the provision of consular services, security operations, and managing diplomatic relations.

Recommendation Number

Recommendation Status

Significant Recommendation

Additional Details

Open

OIG recommends that the Under Secretary for Management, in coordination with the regional bureaus, develop and implement guidance to include criteria, standards, and other direction, as appropriate, for opening and closing those missions that may temporarily establish operations outside of their respective host countries. The guidance should include criteria and standards to inform when, where, and how such missions should be established.

Open

OIG recommends that the Under Secretary for Management, in coordination with the regional bureaus, develop guidance requiring regional bureaus to implement a process to periodically reevaluate the status of those missions that have temporarily established operations outside of their respective host countries to determine whether those missions should continue to exist in their current form.

Open

OIG recommends that the Under Secretary for Management, in coordination with the regional bureaus and the Office of the Legal Adviser, develop and implement guidance regarding the creation, content, and periodic reevaluation of memoranda of understanding to facilitate working relationships and resource sharing agreements between those missions that have temporarily established operations outside of their host countries and their respective host missions.

Open

OIG recommends that the Under Secretary for Management, in coordination with the regional bureaus, develop and implement a template for the memoranda of understanding that can be used to facilitate working relationships and resource sharing agreements between those missions that have temporarily established operations outside of their host countries and their respective host missions.