document: During fiscal years 1993-98, the United States funded rule of law programs and related activities in countries throughout the world. Over this period, rule of law assistance totaled at least $970 million. Figure 1 illustrates the worldwide U.S. rule of law funding for fiscal years 1993-98. Over the period, the total annual rule of law funding increased from $128 million to $218 million. Although funding appears to have declined substantially in 1996, this may be largely explained by the fact that USAID could not readily provide rule of law funding information for fiscal year 1996 due to problems with its automated information system. On a regional basis, the Latin America and the Caribbean region received the largest share, with about 36 percent. Africa, Central Europe, and the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union received about 15 percent each. (See table 1.) From fiscal year 1993 to 1998, rule of law funding shifted primarily from the Latin America and the Caribbean region to other regions, mainly Central Europe. Funding for Central Europe grew from about $9 million in fiscal year 1993 to over $67 million in fiscal year 1998, accounting for 31 percent of the worldwide rule of law assistance that year. Over the same period, rule of law assistance in Latin America and the Caribbean declined from about $57 million (44 percent of the worldwide total) to $42 million (19 percent). Rule of law assistance to Africa also declined from $38 million (30 percent of the worldwide total) in 1993 to $29 million (13 percent) in 1998. Figure 2 illustrates these trends; appendix I provides more detailed data. 
summary: Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on U.S. rule of law assistance programs and activities, focusing on the: (1) amount of U.S. rule of law funding provided worldwide in fiscal years 1993-1998; and (2) U.S. Departments and agencies involved in providing rule of law assistance. GAO noted that: (1) based on the funding data cognizant Departments and agencies made available, during fiscal years 1993-1998, the United States provided at least $970 million in rule of law assistance to countries throughout the world; (2) the Latin America and the Caribbean region was the largest recipient of U.S. rule of law assistance over the period, accounting for $349 million, or more than one-third of the total assistance; (3) in recent years, Central European countries received an increasingly larger share and, in 1998, Central Europe was the largest regional recipient, accounting for about one-third of all rule of law assistance; (4) the United States provided at least some assistance to 184 countries--ranging from $138 million for Haiti to $2,000 for Burkina Faso; (5) while most countries received less than $1 million, 15 countries, including 7 in Latin America and the Caribbean, accounted for just over half of the total funding; (6) at least 35 entities from various U.S. Departments and agencies have a role in the U.S. rule of law assistance programs; (7) the Departments of State and Justice and the Agency for International Development are the principal organizations providing rule of law training, technical advice, and related assistance; (8) the Department of Defense, the U.S. Information Agency, numerous law enforcement agencies and bureaus, and other U.S. Departments and agencies also have a direct role; (9) 40 countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean region received some rule of law assistance; (10) more than three-fourths of the $349 million in assistance was provided to seven countries; (11) Haiti received nearly $138 million, or about 40 percent of the regional total, largely in connection with U.S. and international efforts to restore order and democracy after a September 1991 military coup; (12) six other countries in the region--ranging from about $41 million for El Salvador to $12 million for Panama--accounted for about $127 million, or nearly 37 percent of the regional total; (13) most of the rule of law assistance for Latin America and the Caribbean was provided to help the countries reform their criminal justice or law enforcement organizations, including training and technical assistance for prosecutors, public defenders, police officers, and investigators; and (14) a substantial amount was also dedicated to improving court operations, including modernizing court administration and enhancing public access to the judicial system.