Figure 1 outlines the areas of effort under which these activities fall. As discussed below, these activities were selected based, in part, on the  needs of each country. Some of these activities relate directly to firearms  trafficking, such as ATF firearms identification training, while others  broadly support antitrafficking or border security efforts that include efforts  to stem the trafficking of firearms as one of many goals. These training courses covered a  number of topics related to firearms and explosives and included 10  firearms identification courses. 2). PPD 23 asserts that U.S.  agencies should consider several key factors in planning security sector  assistance, including partner country needs, absorptive capacity,  sustainability, and other donor and other U.S. efforts. Agencies and Implementers Achieved Many of Their Goals for Counter-Firearms Trafficking Activities We Reviewed, but Efforts to Track and Report on Progress Are Inconsistent

		Agencies Established Performance Measures and Targets for Most but Not All Key Counter- Firearms Trafficking Activities We Reviewed

U.S. agencies and other implementers established performance  measures and targets for five of eight key activities we reviewed that  assist in building capacity to combat firearms trafficking in Belize,  Guatemala, and Mexico. According to Standards for Internal Control in  the Federal Government, managers should compare actual performance  against planned or expected results and analyze significant differences. Two Ongoing Activities Are Meeting Their Goals, and Three Completed Activities Met or Partially Met Their Goals, According to Agency and Implementer Reports

As of the second quarter of fiscal year 2015, agency reports show that  implementing agencies and organizations of the five activities that  established performance targets had met or partially met their targets for  all measures. In other cases, quarterly reports we reviewed did not identify challenges  or plans for addressing them. The  United States has worked well with partner countries to implement a  variety of capacity-building activities focused on partner country needs. U.S. agencies have established performance metrics and targets for most  of the eight key counter-firearms trafficking efforts in Belize, Guatemala,  and Mexico that we reviewed, but ATF has not set targets by which it can  measure progress for its activities to provide firearms training and support  the use of eTrace. According to State’s and implementers’ reports, other U.S. agencies  funded by State have made progress toward key activities to counter  firearms trafficking, but they have not consistently reported on key  challenges to meeting their goals or on the strategies they intended to  use to address these challenges. Without this information, implementers may not fully meet  their goals. Additionally, without this information, State, as the primary  funder of these activities, is limited in its ability to ensure that it is able to  maximize the use of U.S. resources. Recommendations for Executive Action

We recommend the following two actions to enhance U.S. agencies’  performance monitoring of counter-firearms trafficking activities:
The Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and  Explosives should establish and document performance targets for  the bureau’s key counter-firearms trafficking activities in Belize,  Guatemala, and Mexico, as appropriate. The Secretary of State should work with other U.S. agencies and  implementers to help ensure that quarterly progress reports identify  key challenges and plans to address them. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

In this report, we examined (1) the activities undertaken by U.S. agencies  to build partner capacity to combat firearms trafficking in Belize,  Guatemala, and Mexico and the extent to which they considered key  factors in selecting the activities and (2) the progress the United States  has made in building partner capacity in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico  to combat firearms trafficking. To determine whether agencies considered  these factors, we reviewed agency documentation and interviewed U.S.  and foreign officials.
Why GAO Did This Study

Trafficking of illicit materials, including firearms, is widespread across Mexico's more than 700-mile southern border with Guatemala and Belize. Such trafficking presents a challenge for law enforcement in all three countries and for U.S. security interests. State and other U.S. agencies, such as ATF, have provided support to build the capacity of their counterparts in these three countries to address problems related to firearms trafficking. GAO was asked to review U.S. support to the governments of Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico to stem firearms trafficking across their shared border. This report examines, for these three countries, (1) the activities undertaken by U.S. agencies to build partner capacity to combat firearms trafficking and the extent to which they considered key factors in selecting the activities and (2) progress the United States has made in building such capacity. GAO analyzed program documentation and conducted interviews with U.S., Belizean, Guatemalan, and Mexican officials. To examine progress, GAO selected a nongeneralizable sample of eight key activities based on a number of factors, including whether the activity addressed firearms trafficking.

What GAO Found

U.S. agencies and their implementing partners have undertaken a number of capacity-building activities that support counter-firearms trafficking efforts in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. The figure below outlines examples of the areas of effort under which these activities fall. Selected, in part, based on partner country needs, these activities include efforts to provide support in using the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' (ATF) web-based firearms tracing system (eTrace) and providing forensics training, including on ballistics. Some of these activities, such as firearms identification training, relate directly to firearms trafficking, while others broadly support antitrafficking or border security efforts for which stemming the trafficking of firearms is one of many goals. Presidential Policy Directive 23 highlights key factors, including partner country needs, absorptive capacity, sustainability, and other U.S. and other donor efforts, as important in planning security sector assistance. Agencies considered these factors in determining what activities to fund.
U.S. agencies and implementing partners have achieved many of their goals for eight key counter-firearms trafficking activities GAO reviewed, but could enhance their efforts to measure and report on progress. Agencies and implementers established performance measures and targets for five of these eight activities. Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government states that managers should compare actual performance against expected results, highlighting the importance of such measures and targets. ATF tracks its activities but has not established performance targets for them, without which it is difficult to measure the success of its efforts. Two of the five activities GAO reviewed that established metrics and targets are ongoing and are meeting their goals, while three other activities were completed and met or partially met their goals, according to Department of State (State) and implementer reports. For activities it funds, State requires implementers to include a discussion of key challenges and strategies to address those challenges in quarterly reports. However, implementers' reports for activities GAO reviewed were inconsistent and did not always identify challenges or strategies for addressing them. Without this information, agencies risk not fully meeting their goals and may be unable to maximize the use of U.S. resources.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that (1) ATF establish and document performance targets for its key counter-firearms trafficking activities in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico, as appropriate, and (2) State work with other U.S. agencies and implementers to help ensure that progress reports identify key challenges and plans to address them. ATF and State agreed with these recommendations.