Interagency Coordination Efforts Concerning Stabilization and Reconstruction

In May 2005, President Bush signed into effect National Security Presidential Directive (NSPD) 44, Management of Interagency Efforts Concerning Reconstruction and Stabilization, in an attempt to promote increased interagency coordination and planning. This policy directs the Department of State (DoS) to ?coordinate and lead integrated United States Government efforts, involving all U.S. Departments and Agencies with relevant capabilities, to prepare, plan for, and conduct stabilization and reconstruction activities as lead agency for stabilization and reconstruction efforts.? (Bush 2005) While this directive is intended to promote coordination among United States Government (USG) Agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), it does not lay out an effective framework for interagency coordination. In the approximate four years since NSPD 44 was released, Congress has not fully funded DoS stabilization and reconstruction initiatives and subsequently continues to fund existing Department of Defense (DoD) programs. This thesis examines funding of stabilization and reconstruction programs within DoS and DoD, as well as the types of interagency missions conducted at USSOUTHCOM since the release of NSPD 44.