S. 615 would codify the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership, which coordinates federal support to counter violent extremism in North and West Africa. The partnership is an interagency effort led by the Department of State in conjunction with the Department of Defense and the U.S. Agency for International Development to help participating governments counter terrorist threats, improve governance, and prevent radicalization.
The bill would require the Department of State to develop and implement a comprehensive, interagency strategy for the partnership and to evaluate its progress. In addition, the department would be required to provide a strategy to coordinate development programs, diplomatic efforts, and national security objectives in the Sahel-Maghreb region. S. 615 also would require the department to provide regular notifications and reports to the Congress on its implementation of the program.
