Since  the introduction of Plan Colombia in fiscal year 2000, the United States has  provided more than $2.5 billion in assistance. U.S. Assistance to the Colombian Army Has Been Delivered, but Problems Were Encountered

During fiscal years 2000-03, the United States provided about $640 million  in assistance to the Colombian Army for initial training and equipment for  the counternarcotics brigade and for 72 helicopters and related  operational, maintenance, and training support. Nearly all this assistance has been delivered and is being utilized  by the counternarcotics brigade in conducting operations. Colombia’s Aerial Eradication Program Has Had Mixed Results

Since the early 1990s, State’s Bureau for International Narcotics and Law  Enforcement Affairs (through the U.S. Embassy Bogotá NAS and the  bureau’s Office of Aviation) has supported the Colombian National Police’s  efforts to significantly reduce, if not eliminate, the cultivation of coca and  opium poppy. However, for the most part, the net hectares of coca under  cultivation in Colombia continued to rise until 2002, and the net hectares of  opium poppy under cultivation remained relatively steady until 2001-02. Financial and Management Challenges Continue to Complicate Efforts to Reduce Illicit Drug Activities

The U.S.-supported counternarcotics program in Colombia has recently  begun to achieve some of the results envisioned in 1999-2000. However,  Colombia and the United States must continue to deal with financial and  management challenges. In addition, Colombia faces continuing challenges  associated with its long-standing insurgency. Moreover, for U.S. assistance  to continue, Colombia needs to ensure that the army and police comply  with human rights standards, that the aerial eradication program meets  certain environmental conditions, and that alternative development is  provided in areas subject to aerial eradication. But because of overall poor economic  conditions, the government of Colombia’s ability to contribute more is  limited. As we noted in 2000, the  total costs of the counternarcotics programs in Colombia were unknown. Nearly 3 years later, the Departments of State and Defense have still not  developed estimates of future program costs, defined their future roles in  Colombia, identified a proposed end state, or determined how they plan to  achieve it. Scope and Methodology

To determine the status of U.S. counternarcotics assistance provided to the  Colombian Army in fiscal years 2000-03, and how this assistance has been  used, we reviewed pertinent planning, implementation, and related  documentation and met with cognizant U.S. officials at the Departments of  State and Defense, Washington, D.C.; the U.S. Southern Command  headquarters, Miami, Florida; and the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia. To determine what challenges Colombia and the United States face in  sustaining these programs, we met with numerous U.S. and Colombian  officials to obtain their views on the issues discussed in this report.
Why GAO Did This Study

The United States has been providing assistance to Colombia since the early 1970s to help reduce illegal drug activities. In fiscal years 2000-03 alone, the United States provided over $2.5 billion. Despite this assistance, Colombia remains the world's leading producer and distributor of cocaine and a major source of the heroin used in the United States. The report discusses the status of U.S. counternarcotics assistance to the Colombian Army and for a U.S.-supported Colombian police aerial eradication program. It also addresses challenges Colombia and the United States face in sustaining these programs.

What GAO Found

In fiscal years 2000-03, the United States provided about $640 million in assistance to train and equip a Colombian Army counternarcotics brigade and supply the army with 72 helicopters and related support. Nearly all this assistance has been delivered and is being used for counternarcotics operations. However, the Colombian Army cannot operate and maintain the U.S.-provided helicopters at current levels without U.S. support because it does not yet have sufficient numbers of qualified pilots and mechanics. U.S. officials estimate that up to $150 million a year is needed to sustain the ongoing programs. In recent years, the Colombian National Police aerial eradication program has had mixed results. Since 1995, coca cultivation rose in every year until 2002 and opium poppy cultivation remained relatively steady until 2001. But, for 2002, the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy reported that net coca cultivation in Colombia decreased 15 percent, and net opium poppy cultivation decreased 25 percent--the second yearly decline in a row. U.S. officials attributed this success primarily to the Colombian government's willingness to spray coca and poppy plants without restriction. These officials estimate that about $80 million a year is needed to continue the program at its current pace. Although the U.S.-backed counternarcotics program in Colombia has begun to achieve some of the results originally envisioned, Colombia and the United States must deal with financial and management challenges. As GAO noted in 2000, the total costs of the counternarcotics programs in Colombia were unknown. Nearly 3 years later, the Departments of State and Defense have still not developed estimates of future program costs, defined their future roles in Colombia, identified a proposed end state, or determined how they plan to achieve it. Colombia's ability to contribute more is limited, and it continues to face challenges associated with its long-standing insurgency and the need to ensure it complies with human rights standards and other requirements in order for U.S. assistance to continue.