United States General Accounting Office

GAO Report to the Majority Leader, 

U.S. Senate

March 1996 PEACE OPERATIONS

U.S. Costs in Support

of Haiti, Former

Yugoslavia, Somalia,

and Rwanda

GAO/NSIAD-96-38

GAO United States

General Accounting Office

Washington, D.C. 20548

National Security and

International Affairs Division

B-265939 

March 6, 1996

The Honorable Robert Dole

Majority Leader

United States Senate

Dear Senator Dole:

As requested, we are providing you information on U.S. agencies’

estimated costs for their support of U.N. peace operations in Haiti, the

former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and Somalia for fiscal years 1992 through

1995.1

 For this report, we define peace operations as actions taken in

support of U.N. resolutions designed to further peace and security,

including observers; monitors; traditional peacekeeping; preventive

deployment; peace enforcement; security assistance; the imposition of

sanctions; and the provision, protection, and delivery of humanitarian

relief.2

Background U.S. agencies’ costs in support of peace operations are paid from their

congressional appropriations. These costs include expenditures for

(1) direct participation of U.S. military forces, (2) the U.S. share of U.N.

peacekeeping assessments, and (3) humanitarian and related assistance.

The Departments of Defense (DOD) and State are the two lead agencies

responsible for planning and implementing U.S. participation in peace

operations. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is the

primary agency responsible for providing humanitarian assistance,

including food donated by the Department of Agriculture. USAID provides

humanitarian assistance through the United Nations and private

organizations. The Departments of Justice, Commerce, Treasury,

Transportation, and Health and Human Services are also involved in

activities in support of peace operations. The agencies’ specific actions

related to the four peace operations are presented in appendix I.

1

The U.N. peace operations are the U.N. Mission in Haiti; U.N. Protection Force for former Yugoslavia;

U.N. Assistance Mission in Rwanda; and U.N. Operations in Somalia . As of March 31, 1995, U.N.

operations in the former Yugoslavia were divided into three separate operations for Bosnia, Croatia,

and Macedonia.

2

This definition is based on DOD’s definition of peace operations in the Annual Report of the Secretary

of Defense to the President and the Congress, February 1995, p. 22; and Joint Tactics, Techniques, and

Procedures, Department of Defense, Joint Publication 3-07, 3, April 29, 1994.

Page 1 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
B-265939 

Results in Brief From fiscal years 1992 through 1995, the incremental cost reported by U.S.

government agencies for support of U.N. peace operations in Haiti, the

former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and Somalia was over $6.6 billion3

 (see 

table 1). The United Nations has reimbursed the United States

$79.4 million for some of these costs.

Table 1: Reported U.S. Costs for

Support of Selected U.N. Peace

Operations (Fiscal Years 1992-95) Fiscal year

Dollars in millions

Country 1992 1993 1994 1995 1992-95

Haiti $79.7 $130.4 $530.8 $875.8 $1,616.7

Former Yugoslavia 126.7 408.7 959.0 692.5 2,186.9

Rwanda 22.1 24.8 261.4 265.4 573.7

Somalia 92.9 1,124.8 913.3 92.1 2,223.1

Total $321.4 $1,688.7 $2,664.5 $1,925.8 $6,600.4

Note: As of August 1995, the United Nations had reimbursed the United States $79.4 million for its

participation in these operations.

From fiscal years 1992 through 1995, DOD’s incremental costs to support

the four operations were about $3.4 billion,4

 the State Department’s were

about $1.8 billion, and USAID’s were about $1.3 billion (including

$556 million for commodities and transportation). The Departments of

Justice, Commerce, Treasury, Transportation, and Health and Human

Services reported incremental costs of which totaled about $91 million.

Figure 1 shows the percentage distribution of agency costs from fiscal

years 1992 through 1995.

3

The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-508) defined incremental costs for

Operation Desert Shield as those costs that would not have been incurred except for the operation.

DOD uses that definition for other incremental cost assessments. For other agencies, expenses such as

salaries, which would be paid regardless of the employees’ work-related activities, are excluded from

the $6.6 billion.

4

It is not possible to provide DOD’s final costs for these operations. As we have reported previously,

DOD’s financial systems cannot reliably determine costs of specific operations. Data on obligations are

generated by individual military units that report up the chain of command. The individual services

then use various management information systems to identify incremental costs, but an overall system

is not in place to capture actual incremental costs.

Page 2 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
B-265939 

Figure 1: Distribution of U.S. Agency

Costs in Support of Selected Peace

Operations (Fiscal Years 1992-95)

51.5% • DOD

27.8%•

State

•19.3%

USAID

1.4%

Other Agencies

Agency Comments The Department of State, DOD, and USAID generally agreed with this report,

but each offered some technical and editorial suggestions, which we have

incorporated where appropriate. DOD’s written comments are reprinted in

appendix II; State and USAID provided oral comments.

Scope and

Methodology

We met with officials from DOD, the Departments of State, Agriculture,

Justice, Commerce, Transportation, and Health and Human Services;

USAID; and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations to obtain information on

the costs in support of the four peace operations. We obtained DOD’s

reported incremental costs for the four operations from fiscal years 1992

through 1995. We also reviewed data supporting DOD’s request for

supplemental appropriations. For the other agencies and departments, we

used a data collection instrument to obtain the cost information, including

funds obligated and transferred through lead agencies. We also obtained

budget reports and documents from State Department officials and from

finance officials at the U.N. Controller’s Office and the Department of

Peacekeeping Operations.

Page 3 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
B-265939 

At all the agencies, we discussed with officials how they budgeted and

accounted for peace operations’ costs. In addition, we reviewed other GAO

reports that previously reported cost data for peace operations. In some

cases, the cost data we obtained from participating agencies changed from

amounts previously reported because agencies update their costs as more

information becomes available. We did not verify the accuracy of the costs

reported; however, a forthcoming report will address issues concerning

the consistency, accuracy, and reliability of DOD’s incremental costs

related to contingency operations.

We did our review from February to November 1995 in accordance with

generally accepted government auditing standards.

We are sending copies of this report to appropriate congressional

committees; the Secretaries of Defense, State, Agriculture, Treasury,

Transportation, Justice, Commerce, and Health and Human Services; the

Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development; the Director,

Office of Management and Budget; and the Secretary General of the United

Nations. Copies will also be made available to others upon request.

Please contact me at (202) 512-4128 if you or your staff have any questions

concerning this report. The major contributors to this report were Tetsuo

Miyabara, Joseph C. Brown, and Elizabeth Nyang.

Sincerely yours,

Harold J. Johnson

Associate Director

International Relations and Trade Issues

Page 4 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
Page 5 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
Appendix I 

U.S. Agencies’ Participation in Four Peace

Operations

Haiti In September 1991, a military junta forced the elected President of Haiti

into exile and many Haitians fled the country amidst widespread human

rights abuses. In response, the United Nations passed several resolutions,

including an international trade embargo on Haiti and a U.N. mission to

monitor human rights. In September 1993, following a negotiated

agreement for a return to democratic rule, the U.N. Security Council

authorized the United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH), to facilitate the

transition, train and monitor the Haitian police, and modernize the armed

forces. However, UNMIH, which was to have included 567 police monitors,

700 military construction personnel, and a small military training unit, was

prevented from landing in Haiti, and the international community

responded by tightening enforcement of the embargo. Subsequently, a

U.N.-sanctioned, U.S.-led multinational force launched Operation Uphold

Democracy in September 1994. The multinational force achieved its

mission in January 1995, establishing a secure environment in Haiti and

allowing the exiled President to return. In March 1995, an expanded UNMIH,

which included a 6,000-troop force, replaced the multinational force. The

reported incremental costs to the U.S. government for support of these

activities from fiscal years 1992 through 1995 was over $1.6 billion (see 

table I.1).

Table I.1: Costs of Peace Operations in

Haiti (Fiscal Years 1992-95) 

Fiscal year

Dollars in millions

Agency 1992 1993 1994 1995 1992-95

DOD $9.3 $2.8 $372.1 $568.7 $952.9

State

(U.S. assessment for

UNMIH)

2.7

(0)

15.2

(0)

18.1

(0.5)

78.6

(51.9)a

114.6

(52.4)

USAID 66.0 111.6 123.9 187.6 489.1

Otherb 1.7 0.8 16.7 40.9c 60.1

Total $79.7 $130.4 $530.8 $875.8 $1,616.7

Note: Amounts do not include the costs to aid Haitian migrants in the United States.

aThis figure includes $81,000 in assessments billed by the United Nations in fiscal year 1994 but

paid in fiscal year 1995. As of the end of fiscal year 1995, U.S. assessments were paid in full.

bOther agencies included the Departments of Health and Human Services, Transportation

(primarily the Coast Guard), Justice, Commerce, and Treasury.

cThis figure includes $28.3 million transferred from DOD for operations in Haiti.

From fiscal years 1992 through 1995, the Department of Defense’s ( DOD)

incremental costs of $952.9 million were for the multinational force, UNMIH,

Page 6 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
Appendix I 

U.S. Agencies’ Participation in Four Peace

Operations

and related U.N. resolutions. Following U.N. resolutions authorizing an

international embargo on Haiti in 1993, DOD helped enforce the embargo

and supported migrant processing operations at the U.S. naval base in

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. During the early phases of Operation Uphold

Democracy, DOD continued enforcing the embargo and following the

landing on Haiti, established and maintained civic order, searched for and

seized weapons, conducted civil affairs programs, trained troops from

other nations in peacekeeping duties, repaired roads, and coordinated the

return of about 14,000 Haitians from the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.

The State Department reported costs of $114.6 million during fiscal 

years 1992 through 1995, including the U.S. assessment for UNMIH

($52.4 million). An estimated $16 million was used to assist Haitian victims

and refugees and provide grants to private voluntary organizations for

distribution in Haiti. The State Department also provided support to

multinational force contingents that could not be provided through section

506 of the Foreign Assistance Act (drawdown of defense articles and

services).

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) suspended its

assistance programs to Haiti after the September 1991 coup, but on

November 10, 1991, it reactivated the feeding programs and health services

through private voluntary organizations. USAID also helped fund the

Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training

Assistance Program to train the Haitian police force and provided funding

for the joint Organization of American States/United Nations International

Civilian Mission in Haiti which monitors human rights issues.

The Departments of Justice, Commerce, Treasury, Transportation, and

Health and Human Services provided direct and indirect support to the

peace operation in Haiti. For example, the Department of Justice provided

funds for programs to train judges and strengthen the criminal justice

system and to help with migration emergencies and refugee processing.

Under the Department of Transportation, the Coast Guard played an active

role in interdicting Haitian refugees. The Department of Health and Human

Services provided health care services to Haitian refugees at the U.S.

Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba and conducted limited follow-up

health services in Florida.

Former Yugoslavia U.N. peace operations in the former Yugoslavia were authorized by the

U.N. Security Council in February 1992 to facilitate a peaceful resolution

Page 7 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
Appendix I 

U.S. Agencies’ Participation in Four Peace

Operations

to the crisis. The United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) initially

monitored the cease-fire in Croatia and provided humanitarian assistance

in Bosnia. In October 1992, the United Nations designated Bosnia a no-fly

zone and in mid-1993 mandated UNPROFOR to deter attacks against six safe

areas in Bosnia. The reported incremental costs to the U.S. government to

support these objectives from fiscal years 1992 through 1995 was

$2.19 billion (see table I.2). This does not include costs related to the

North Atlantic Treaty Organization Implementation Force deployment.

Table I.2: Costs of Peace Operations in

Former Yugoslavia (Fiscal Years

1992-95) Fiscal year

Dollars in millions

Agency 1992 1993 1994 1995 1992-95

DODa $5.8 $138.8 $292.0 $347.4 $784.0

State

(includes U.S. assessment

for UNPROFOR)

110.0

(76.4)

141.3

(70.1)

547.1

(459.7)

249.6

(179.8)b

1,048.0

(786.0)

USAID 10.9 126.9 116.9 93.4 348.1

Otherc 0 1.7 3.0 2.1 6.8

Total $126.7 $408.7 $959.0 $692.5 $2,186.9

aAs of August 1995, the United Nations had reimbursed DOD $16.2 million for its participation in

U.N. peace operations in former Yugoslavia.

bThis figure includes $153.7 million in assessments billed by the United Nations in fiscal year

1994 but paid in fiscal year 1995. As of the end of fiscal year 1995, outstanding U.S. assessments

for UNPROFOR were $599.7 million. These costs are not included in this report.

cOther agencies include the Departments of Transportation and Treasury.

DOD reported incremental costs of $784 million in the former Yugoslavia

from fiscal years 1992 through 1995 for humanitarian airdrops over Bosnia,

operation of a hospital in Croatia, and airlift of food, clothing, and medical

supplies to Sarajevo. As a member of the North Atlantic Treaty

Organization, the United States also incurred peacekeeping costs for

enforcing the no-fly zone over Bosnia and launching air strikes against

parties that attacked safe areas or fired on U.N. peacekeepers. These costs

are included in the table I.2. However, munitions expended during these

operations are not included in incremental costs and they were not

included by DOD when it developed its requests for supplemental

appropriations.

Of State’s reported $1.05 billion costs for support of U.N. peace operations

in the former Yugoslavia through fiscal year 1995, approximately

Page 8 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
Appendix I 

U.S. Agencies’ Participation in Four Peace

Operations

$786 million was for the U.S. assessment for UNPROFOR. The State

Department also provided funds for international and nongovernmental

organizations, such as the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, the

International Organization for Migration, Doctors without Borders, and the

International Rescue Committee, to aid conflict victims and refugees in

former Yugoslavia.

From fiscal years 1992 through 1995, USAID costs in the former Yugoslavia

were $348.1 million for food and humanitarian assistance and the support

of humanitarian organizations. The Coast Guard helped enforce the

U.S.-sanctioned maritime embargo operations in the Adriatic and Ionian

seas. The Department of Treasury also provided support for sanctions in

the former Yugoslavia.

Rwanda U.N. relief operations in Rwanda began in July 1992, and the U.N. Security

Council authorized a U.N. observer mission in Uganda-Rwanda (UNOMUR),

along the Uganda-Rwanda border in June 1993 to monitor the movement

of military supplies. The mission was terminated in September 1994. In

subsequent resolutions, the Security Council established the U.N.

Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) and authorized it to act as an

intermediary between the warring parties and help provide security for

civilians and relief operations. UNAMIR I was established in October 1993 to

facilitate the August 1993 peace settlement. It was replaced by UNAMIR II in

June 1994 following the outbreak of violence in April 1994. The reported

incremental cost to U.S. government agencies for actions supporting U.N.

peace operations in Rwanda from fiscal year 1992 through 1995 was

$574 million (see table I.3).

Page 9 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
Appendix I 

U.S. Agencies’ Participation in Four Peace

Operations

Table I.3: Costs of Peace Operations in

Rwanda (Fiscal Years 1992-95) 

Fiscal year

Dollars in millions

Agency 1992 1993 1994 1995 1992-95

DODa $0 $1.0 $106.7 $36.4 $144.1

State

(includes UNOMUR and

UNAMIR assessments)

0

(0)

0

(0)

61.1

(34.0)

169.4

(75.5)b

230.5

(109.5)

USAID 22.1 23.8 93.6 59.6 199.1

Other agencies 0 0 0 0 0

Total $22.1 $24.8 $261.4 $265.4 $573.7

aAs of August 1995, the United Nations had reimbursed DOD $10.6 million for its participation in

U.N. peace operations in Rwanda.

bAs of the end of fiscal year 1995, outstanding U.S. assessments for UNAMIR were $25.4 million.

These costs are not included in this report.

From fiscal years 1992 through 1995, USAID costs amounted to $199 million

primarily for the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance to provide

emergency funding for food, seed and tools, health, water, and sanitation

for the war-affected population in Rwanda. This assistance was provided

primarily through international relief organizations such as the World

Food Program, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and

Catholic Relief Services, which carried out many of the day-to-day relief

operations.

The Department of State’s costs were $230.5 million for fiscal years 1994

through 1995, with about $110 million for the U.S. assessment. State’s

Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration also provided funds to the

International Organization for Migration, International Committee of the

Red Cross, International Rescue Committee, and U.N. High Commissioner

for Refugees for camps in Rwanda.

During 1994, DOD airlifted, on a reimbursable basis, U.N. troop contingents

and their supplies and equipment to Rwanda in support of UNAMIR II. It also

airlifted emergency relief supplies for U.N. agencies and nongovernmental

organizations as well as 2,000 troops to the region in support of

humanitarian relief. These DOD activities cost about $107 million. From

fiscal years 1992 through 1995, DOD’s reported incremental costs were

$144.1 million.

Page 10 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
Appendix I 

U.S. Agencies’ Participation in Four Peace

Operations

Somalia The first operation in Somalia authorized by the U.N. Security Council was

Operation Provide Relief, which was a humanitarian mission that ran from

April 1992 through December 1992. This operation was followed by the

U.S.-led Unified Task Force’s (UNITAF) Operation Restore Hope, which ran

from December 1992 to May 1993 and combined humanitarian relief with

limited military action aimed at providing security for U.N. personnel and

humanitarian organizations throughout Somalia. According to DOD, UNITAF

created a secure environment and subsequently transferred operations

back to the United Nations when the U.N. operations in Somalia (UNOSOM)

II was authorized by the Security Council in May 1993. As part of the

mission, U.S. forces continued providing logistical support. The United

States also maintained a quick reaction force to support UNOSOM II. All U.S.

forces supporting UNOSOM II were withdrawn in March 1994. The United

Nations terminated the UNOSOM II operation in March 1995, with help from

the United States to withdraw the remaining U.N. troops. The reported

incremental cost to U.S. government agencies from fiscal years 1992

through 1995 in support of U.N. peace operations in Somalia was

$2.2 billion (see table I.4).

Table I.4: Costs of Peace Operations in

Somalia (Fiscal Years 1992-95) 

Fiscal year

Dollars in millions

Agency 1992 1993 1994 1995 1992-95

D0Da $1.6 $943.1 $528.0 $49.4 $1,522.1

State

(U.S. assessment for

UNOSOM)

26.6

(0)

61.7

(40.9)

332.8

(330.9)

16.9

(16.9)b

438.0

(388.7)

USAID 64.7 103.7 44.9 25.8 239.1

Other agencies 0 16.3 7.6 0 23.9

Total $92.9 $1,124.8 $913.3 $92.1 $2,223.1

aAs of August 1995, the United Nations had reimbursed DOD $52.6 million for its participation.

bAssessments billed by the United Nations in fiscal year 1994 but paid in fiscal year 1995. As of

the end of fiscal year 1995, outstanding U.S. assessments for UNOSOM were $94 million. These

costs are not included in this report.

DOD reported incremental costs of approximately $1.5 billion for UNITAF’s

military intervention, logistical support as part of UNOSOM II, support for

UNOSOM II during the operation, and assistance in the withdrawal of 

UNOSOM II. Because Somalia lacked basic infrastructure, DOD refurbished or

built housing facilities, ports, and other infrastructure. DOD also launched a

military airlift from Mombasa, Kenya, to deliver food to sites in Somalia. In

Page 11 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
Appendix I 

U.S. Agencies’ Participation in Four Peace

Operations

March 1995, U.S. troops helped UNOSOM II withdraw from Somalia at an

estimated cost of $22 million.

The State Department’s reported costs from fiscal years 1992 through 1995

for U.N. operations in Somalia was $438 million, of which $388.7 million

was for the U.S. assessment for UNOSOM. State also provided assistance to

internally displaced and other conflict victims within Somalia.

USAID reported costs of $239.1 million for fiscal years 1992 through 1995 for

medical and food assistance. The agency supported several relief

activities, including food distribution, health and nutrition, water and

sanitation, agriculture and livestock, and mine clearance. USAID assistance

also supported efforts to establish a police and judicial system in Somalia.

Page 12 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
Appendix II 

Comments From the Department of Defense

(711124) Page 13 GAO/NSIAD-96-38 Peace Operations
Ordering Information

The first copy of each GAO report and testimony is free.

Additional copies are $2 each. Orders should be sent to the

following address, accompanied by a check or money order

made out to the Superintendent of Documents, when

necessary. VISA and MasterCard credit cards are accepted, also.

Orders for 100 or more copies to be mailed to a single address

are discounted 25 percent.

Orders by mail:

U.S. General Accounting Office

P.O. Box 6015

Gaithersburg, MD 20884-6015

or visit:

Room 1100

700 4th St. NW (corner of 4th and G Sts. NW)

U.S. General Accounting Office

Washington, DC

Orders may also be placed by calling (202) 512-6000 

or by using fax number (301) 258-4066, or TDD (301) 413-0006.

Each day, GAO issues a list of newly available reports and

testimony. To receive facsimile copies of the daily list or any

list from the past 30 days, please call (202) 512-6000 using a

touchtone phone. A recorded menu will provide information on

how to obtain these lists.

For information on how to access GAO reports on the INTERNET,

send an e-mail message with "info" in the body to:

info@www.gao.gov

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
United States

General Accounting Office

Washington, D.C. 20548-0001

Official Business

Penalty for Private Use $300

Address Correction Requested

Bulk Rate

Postage & Fees Paid

GAO

Permit No. G100