ICGFM DC Forum Luncheon, September 6, 2017 - Syria Humanitarian Assistance: Steps Taken By U.S. Agencies to Ensure Financial Oversight

Syria Humanitarian Assistance: Steps Taken By U.S. Agencies to Ensure Financial Oversight

ICGFM DC Forum Luncheon

September 6, 2017, 12:00 - 1:30pm

REGISTER HERE 

Our Speakers:

    

Thomas Melito

Director,

International Affairs and Trade

U.S. Government Accountability Office

    

Elizabeth Repko

Assistant Director,

International Affairs and Trade

 U.S. Government Accountability Office

The ongoing conflict in Syria has created a complex humanitarian crisis. The United Nations estimates that approximately 13.5 million people in the country are in need of humanitarian assistance. The United States, through the Department of State (State) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has provided over $6.5 billion to fund humanitarian assistance efforts to support people affected by the crisis in Syria, about half of which supports those inside the country. The presentation will discuss GAO examination of the efforts of U.S. agencies to ensure financial oversight of humanitarian assistance provided to support people inside Syria, including the factors affecting delivery of such assistance and the extent to which State, USAID, and their implementing partners have assessed risks and implemented financial controls.

 Our Speakers:

 Dr. Thomas Melito is a director in the International Affairs and Trade Team, having spent more than 28 years at GAO. In this capacity, he is primarily responsible for GAO’s international food aid and multilateral assistance portfolio.  Dr. Melito also shares the security assistance portfolio, focusing on work related to international sanctions and WMD proliferation. Under Dr. Melito’s leadership:

• GAO has produced a series of reports examining multiple aspects of the U.S. international food assistance including monetization, internal controls at the UN World Food Program and the effectiveness of cash-based food. 
• Completed several reviews of management issues at the United Nations including two examinations of the compensation of UN employees and multiple reviews on oversight of the renovation of the UN headquarters buildings.
• A series of reports examining the implementation of U.S. and multilateral sanctions against both Iran and North Korea.
  
  Dr. Melito holds an MA and PhD in economics from Columbia University and a BS in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University.

Elizabeth Repko is an Assistant Director at the U.S. Government Accountability Office and has spent the last 12 years working on international affairs issues. As an Assistant Director, Ms. Repko has worked on a range of issues including: 

• U.S. efforts to provide oversight of assistance provided by multilateral institutions, including the United Nations and its funds and programs
• U.S. counterterrorism activities, such as those to address terrorist safe havens and to designate foreign terrorist organizations
• U.S. and multilateral efforts to reconstruct Afghanistan, including training and equipping security forces and countering the production and trafficking of narcotics.
  
  Ms. Repko holds a BA in international relations from Michigan State University and a MPP and MS from the University of Michigan.

A Three Course, Served Luncheon is included:
Price:  Member - $35,  Non-Member - $37.50

Location:  Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20036

Time:  12:00-1:30pm

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