Embassy Asuncion?s primary goal is strengthening democratic institutions and civil society in this emerging democracy. Inadequate Paraguayan institutions impede Mission programs to combat narcotics trafficking, money laundering, intellectual property piracy, and international terrorist organizations. The Ambassador and DCM provide clear and effective executive direction and enlist the support of counterparts from Brazil and Argentina to increase diplomatic and economic leverage on the Government of Paraguay. Support to American business interests is exemplary. The post has been imaginative in bringing Paraguayan businessmen into contact with American trade missions and aggressive in assisting American companies caught in the maze of Paraguay?s judicial system. The Embassy does an outstanding job of promoting environmental protection in a country that has two sensitive endangered ecosystems. Well-orchestrated public diplomacy, with careful attention to the media, is a key component of Embassy success in meeting its goals. The post is administered well, despite modest American staffing. In the recent past, long gaps between assignments of American supervisors led to institutional drift, which a new management team is addressing. The Interagency Cooperative Administrative Support Services Council should meet more regularly and explore ways to eliminate duplicate services such as shipping and customs, procurement, and residential maintenance now offered by the Embassy, USAID, and U.S. military component administrative sections.
Embassy Asuncion has outgrown its chancery buildings. Office space is crowded and inefficiently arranged. Parts of the main building, the administrative annex, and the Marine residence do not have adequate setback from a major road. The approximately 15-acre compound is large enough to resolve all issues through new construction. Long-range planning for such construction should not delay needed short-term fixes, however, such as remodeling the consular section to address internal controls inadequacies, relocating the offices of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and restoring to the embassy its much needed conference room.
The inspection found post physical security and emergency preparedness programs to be in good working order. Inattention to customer service by the security staff has led to a perception of ineffectiveness and a loss of confidence in the section by Mission personnel. Post management is working with DS to improve the performance of the security team.
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