II. METHODOLOGY

• The drug percentage is based on estimates provided by six regional United States Information Agency (USIA) program offices, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Office of Research, the Bureau of Information, the International Broadcasting Bureau and the Office of the Director. Programs involving grants, including speaker programs, educational exchanges and international visitors, are directly attributed to drug control. It is more difficult to estimate the drug control portion of other products and services, such as radio broadcasts and Internet sites whose fixed costs are spread over several subject areas. Other USIA activities, such as press support for visiting U.S. officials or contact work with key foreign publics, have few directly attributable costs.

III. PROGRAM SUMMARY

• The USIA has the unique U.S. Government responsibility for informing foreign publics about official U.S. foreign and domestic policy issues and initiatives abroad. The USIA promotes our national interests and seeks to broaden the dialogue between Americans and U.S. institutions and their counterparts abroad. The Agency's drug control programs support Goal 5 of the National Drug Control Strategy, Break foreign and domestic drug sources of supply.



• USIA's public affairs programs support this Strategy goal by building increased understanding and support among key foreign publics for U.S. international drug control efforts. They provide accurate and timely information about U.S. policies and programs, demonstrate the threat posed by drug trafficking to source and transit countries, and strengthen foreign nations' capacity to fight drug abuse, trafficking and related criminal activities. USIA's counter drug activities are conducted in the following manner:



• Overseas Posts. USIA public affairs officers at 192 posts in 142 countries direct public affairs programs on drug issues under the direction of the U.S. Ambassador and in close collaboration with State, DEA and other U.S. government agencies. USIA posts provide information products to the media, provide press support for visiting U.S. government officials, build relationships with key government and non-governmental organizations, organize speaker programs and workshops for officials and non-governmental organizations, and administer exchange of persons programs. The producing and transit countries of Latin America remain USIA's focus for building public support against illegal drugs. Posts in the heroin producing and transit countries of Asia, Africa and Europe conduct more limited programs.



• Information, Exchanges and Research. USIA supports its overseas post activities with news, official texts and other materials on drug issues, American experts for speaker programs, teleconferences and seminars, and reference services. The Agency conducts professional and academic exchange programs on drug-related issues in conjunction with USIA posts and U.S. institutions and organizations. USIA also conducts polls of foreign public opinion and reaction of foreign media to U.S. programs and policies.



• Broadcasting. USIA provides news, features and interviews on drug issues through the Voice of America's Worldwide English and 47 language services and through Radio Marti, Radio Liberty and Radio Free Europe. Worldnet television provides news stories, acquires documentaries and public service announcements for broadcast and use at overseas institutions, and conducts interactive teleconferences via satellite on drug-related issues.

IV. BUDGET SUMMARY
1997 Base Program

• The 1997 base program includes $7.6 million for international activities which support Goal 5 of the National Drug Control Strategy. This amount represents a $0.7 million decrease from the FY 1996 funding level, an 8% reduction that reflects overall cuts in USIA's three major appropriations. The 1997 base program consists of $4.4 million for drug-related activities at USIA's overseas posts; $2.7 million for Washington-based information, exchange and research activities; and $0.6 million on Voice of America and Worldnet television programs.

• The total FY 1998 drug control budget request is $7.7 million, all in support of Goal 5 international activities. This request represents a modest increase over FY 1997, largely covering anticipated increases in overseas and domestic salaries and other operating costs. The 1998 request will enable the Agency to implement the following program enhancement:



• International Public Affairs Strategy. This program, conducted in concert with other U.S. government agencies, will provide improved coordination, increasing the effectiveness of U.S. government expenditures across agencies on public diplomacy concerning drug control.

V. PROGRAM STATISTICS

	1996 Actual	1997 Estimate	1998 Projected
Participants in:
- Hubert Humphrey Program	9	7	7
- International Visitors Program	156	135	130
- Fulbright Program	11	10	16
- Speakers / Specialist Programs	30	25	25
- Foreign Journalist Workshop	10	15	15
- Interactive Television Programs	16	13	13
- VOA News and Feature Reports	1,250	1,250	1,250
- Background Articles, Texts and Transcripts	500	500	500
- Foreign Media Reaction Analyses	10	10	10
- Research Reports	3	5	7

VI. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• In FY 1996, USIA used a variety of tools to advance Goal 5 of the National Drug Control Strategy. Many USIA activities support the Strategy by providing foreign publics with accurate information about U.S. policies, programs and experiences in drug control which can be adopted in host nations. Positive outcomes resulting from the programs included the following:



• In Colombia, US Information Services (USIS) raised public awareness about the need for extradition with a series of statements and Ambassadorial speeches following the escape of Cali cartel capo Jose Santacruz Londono.



• In Mexico, five USIS-arranged press events for ONDCP Director McCaffrey's first visit increased public understanding about U.S. domestic policies and debunked myths about militarizing the border.



• In South Africa, on-going contacts with an investigative reporter led to a high-profile series warning South Africa of its vulnerability to illegal narcotics.



• In Paraguay, USIS prepared an op-ed for the Ambassador on the dangers of drug abuse to democratic freedom, which a major daily carried in its Sunday edition.



• In Pakistan, USIS organized a trip for Pakistani journalists to Pakistan's northern border; this led to a five-part series on eradication and crop substitution programs in the leading Urdu daily.



• USIA increased foreign public's understanding and support for the President's annual decisions on certification and the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report.



• USIA dispelled popular foreign misconceptions on U.S. domestic anti-drug efforts.



• VOA and Worldnet programs continued to promote a better understanding by the foreign public on U.S. and multi-national efforts to combat drug problems.



• USIA provides U.S. policy makers with reports on foreign attitudes toward drug control issues. Such reports provide valuable information in planning public diplomacy and other anti-drug programs.



• USIA-sponsored exchange programs have greatly fostered a better understanding by foreign officials on U.S. policies and counterdrug initiatives. These programs have helped to foster closer cooperation between the U.S. and foreign governments and non-governmental organizations through the use of speakers, teleconferences, and hosted conferences.