[115th Congress Public Law 353]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 5069]]

        DEFENDING ECONOMIC LIVELIHOODS AND THREATENED ANIMALS ACT

[[Page 132 STAT. 5070]]

Public Law 115-353
115th Congress

                                 An Act


 
     To promote inclusive economic growth through conservation and 
biodiversity programs that facilitate transboundary cooperation, improve 
  natural resource management, and build local capacity to protect and 
preserve threatened wildlife species in the greater Okavango River Basin 
       of southern Africa. <<NOTE: Dec. 21, 2018 -  [H.R. 4819]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Defending 
Economic Livelihoods and Threatened Animals Act. 22 USC 2151p note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Defending Economic Livelihoods and 
Threatened Animals Act'' or the ``DELTA Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The greater Okavango River Basin, which ranges from the 
        highland plateau of Angola to northeastern Namibia and northern 
        Botswana, and also provides critical natural resources that 
        sustain wildlife in Zambia and Zimbabwe, is the largest 
        freshwater watershed in southern Africa.
            (2) The greater Okavango River Basin is the main source of 
        water and livelihoods for over 1 million people, and the 
        effective management and protection of this critical watershed 
        will help advance important conservation and economic growth 
        objectives for Angola, Botswana, Namibia, local communities, and 
        the broader region.
            (3) The greater Okavango River Basin is home to the largest 
        remaining elephant population in the world, as well as other 
        threatened wildlife species.
            (4) Poaching and trafficking of threatened wildlife species 
        in the greater Okavango River Basin has increased in recent 
        years, and has the potential to undermine regional stability by 
        disrupting local governance and management of resources, and 
        supplanting key economic opportunities for community members.
            (5) Governments in the region have taken important steps to 
        coordinate through existing conservation frameworks to combat 
        trafficking, ensure responsible resource management, support 
        local livelihoods, and protect threatened wildlife species.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that it is in the interest of the United 
States to engage, as appropriate, with the Governments of Angola, 
Botswana, Namibia, and neighboring countries, and in partnership with 
donors, regional organizations, nongovernmental organizations, local 
communities, and the private sector, to advance

[[Page 132 STAT. 5071]]

conservation efforts and promote economic growth and stability in the 
greater Okavango River Basin and neighboring watersheds and conservation 
areas.
SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It is the policy of the United States to promote inclusive economic 
growth through conservation and biodiversity programs that facilitate 
transboundary cooperation, improve water and natural resource 
management, and build local capacity to protect and preserve threatened 
wildlife species in the greater Okavango River Basin and neighboring 
watersheds and conservation areas.
SEC. 5. <<NOTE: Angola. Botswana. Namibia.>>  STRATEGY.

    (a) In General <<NOTE: Coordination.>> .--The Secretary and the 
Administrator, in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies, shall seek, as appropriate, to work with the Governments of 
Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and neighboring countries, and in partnership 
with donors, regional organizations, nongovernmental organizations, 
local communities, and the private sector, to develop a strategy to--
            (1) create and advance a cooperative framework to promote 
        responsible natural resource, water, and wildlife management 
        practices in the greater Okavango River Basin;
            (2) protect traditional migration routes of elephants and 
        other threatened wildlife species;
            (3) combat wildlife poaching and trafficking;
            (4) address human health and development needs of local 
        communities; and
            (5) catalyze economic growth in such countries and across 
        the broader region.

    (b) Elements.--The strategy established pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) promote cooperative and responsible water, natural 
        resource, and wildlife management policies and practices within 
        and among the countries of Angola, Botswana, and Namibia, with a 
        particular focus on the greater Okavango River Basin and the 
        critical headwaters located in Angola;
            (2) protect and restore wildlife habitats and traditional 
        migratory patterns of elephants and other threatened species;
            (3) <<NOTE: Zambia. Zimbabwe.>>  combat wildlife poaching 
        and trafficking in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and those areas of 
        Zambia and Zimbabwe that border Angola, Botswana, or Namibia, 
        including within regional and national parks and reserves, by 
        building the capacity of the governments of such countries, 
        local law enforcement, community leaders, and park rangers to 
        detect, disrupt, and prosecute poachers and traffickers;
            (4) promote conservation as a foundation for inclusive 
        economic growth and development within a comprehensive 
        assistance strategy that places Angola, Botswana, and Namibia on 
        a trajectory toward graduation from the need for United States 
        foreign assistance;
            (5) identify opportunities and mechanisms to leverage 
        regional organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and 
        public-private partnerships to contribute to support the 
        implementation of the strategy;
            (6) establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, 
        including measurable goals, objectives, and benchmarks of 
        success, that are included in grants, contracts, and cooperative

[[Page 132 STAT. 5072]]

        agreements to ensure the effective use of United States foreign 
        assistance; and
            (7) <<NOTE: Coordination.>>  coordinate with and build the 
        capacity of regional conservation frameworks in order to advance 
        regional conservation objectives.
SEC. 6. UNITED STATES SUPPORT.

    (a) In General <<NOTE: Coordination.>> .--The Secretary and the 
Administrator, in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies, are authorized to prioritize and advance ongoing efforts to--
            (1) promote inclusive economic growth and development 
        through responsible water and natural resource management and 
        wildlife protection activities in the greater Okavango River 
        Basin;
            (2) <<NOTE: Angola. Botswana. Namibia.>>  provide technical 
        assistance to governments and local communities in Angola, 
        Botswana, and Namibia to create a policy-enabling environment 
        for such responsible water and natural resource management and 
        wildlife protection activities; and
            (3) build the capacity of local law enforcement, park 
        rangers, and community leaders to combat wildlife poaching and 
        trafficking.

    (b) Coordination and Integration With Regional Conservation 
Frameworks.--The Secretary and the Administrator, in coordination with 
the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall coordinate 
assistance provided by Department of State, the United States Agency for 
International Development, and such other relevant Federal agencies with 
existing regional conservation frameworks in order to ensure regional 
integration of conservation, wildlife trafficking, and water management 
initiatives, to prevent duplication of efforts, and to advance regional 
conservation objectives.
    (c) Coordination With Private Sector.--The Secretary and the 
Administrator, in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies, are authorized to work with the private sector and 
nongovernmental organizations to leverage public and private capital to 
promote responsible resource management, combat wildlife poaching and 
trafficking, and support inclusive economic growth and local livelihoods 
in the greater Okavango River Basin.
    (d) Monitoring and Evaluation.--The Secretary and the Administrator 
shall establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, to include 
measurable goals, objectives, and benchmarks, to ensure the effective 
use of United States foreign assistance to achieve the objectives of 
this section.
SEC. 7. REPORT.

    (a) In General <<NOTE: Coordination.>> .--Not later than 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the 
Administrator, in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
report on the implementation of this Act.

    (b) Matters To Be Included <<NOTE: Angola. Botswana. Namibia.>> .--
The report required under subsection (a) shall include a description of 
the strategy required by section 5, including--
            (1) the monitoring and evaluation plans and indicators used 
        to measure performance under the strategy;
            (2) any legislative impediments to meeting the objectives of 
        such strategy;

[[Page 132 STAT. 5073]]

            (3) the extent to which Angola, Botswana, and Namibia have 
        demonstrated a commitment and willingness to cooperate to 
        advance efforts described in section 5(b);
            (4) progress made to date in meeting the objectives of such 
        strategy;
            (5) efforts to coordinate, deconflict, and streamline 
        conservation programs in order to maximize resource 
        effectiveness;
            (6) the extent to which Angola, Botswana, and Namibia and 
        other government in the region are investing resources to 
        advance conservation initiatives; and
            (7) the extent to which other funding sources, including 
        through private sector investment and other investment by 
        Angola, Botswana, and Namibia, have been identified to advance 
        conservation initiatives.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
        Development.
            (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of State.

    Approved December 21, 2018.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 4819:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
            July 17, considered and passed House.
            Dec. 19, considered and passed Senate.

                                  <all>