to be referred to as the ‘‘Global Initiative to Reduce Fra-
gility and Violence’’ relating to reducing and addressing 
the causes of violence, violent conflict, and fragility, with 
a focus on ten pilot countries. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator of USAID, in coordination with the Sec-
retary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the heads 
of other relevant Federal agencies and departments, shall 
develop and submit to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees an initial interagency strategy for implementing 
the Global Initiative to Reduce Fragility and Violence re-
quired under subsection (a), including the following: 
(1) Descriptions of the organizational steps 
each relevant Federal agency or department will 
take to improve strategic planning, implementation, 
monitoring, evaluation, and coordination among and 
within such agencies and departments under such 
initiative. 
(2) Descriptions of the initial goals, objectives, 
and role of each relevant Federal agency or depart-
ment under such initiative. 
(3) Descriptions of the steps each relevant Fed-
eral agency or department will take to improve co-
ordination and collaboration with international devel-
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opment organizations, international donors, multilat-
eral organizations, and the private sector under such 
initiative. 
(4) Descriptions of potential areas of improved 
public and private sector research and development, 
including from academic, philanthropic, and civil so-
ciety organizations, on more effective approaches to 
reducing and preventing the causes of violence, vio-
lent conflict, and fragility in fragile and violence-af-
fected countries. 
(5) Plans for regularly evaluating and updating 
on an iterative basis the information described in 
this subsection. 
(c) INDIVIDUAL PILOT COUNTRY PLANS.—The strat-
egy required under subsection (b) shall contain an annex 
identifying the ten pilot countries designated pursuant to 
subsection (d), and for each such pilot country contain a 
mission-led, 10-year pilot country plan establishing initial 
goals, objectives, and plans of action for United States 
Government activities, including development, security, 
and other assistance activities that are relevant to reduc-
ing and addressing the causes of violence, violent conflict, 
and fragility, including the following: 
(1) Interagency plans for coordination and im-
plementation that define the appropriate role of each 
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relevant Federal agency or department and proc-
esses for coordinating among and within such agen-
cies and departments when carrying out each such 
pilot country plan. 
(2) Interagency plans to ensure appropriate 
local actors, including governance and civil society 
entities, and organizations led by women, youth, and 
under-represented communities have roles in devel-
oping, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and 
updating relevant aspects of each such pilot country 
plan. 
(3) Clear, transparent, and measurable initial 
political, diplomatic, security, and developmental 
benchmarks, timetables, and performance metrics 
for each such pilot country, with a focus on outcome 
metrics, including such metrics that capture griev-
ances and patterns that cause violence and, where 
applicable, align with best practice indicators deter-
mined by Sustainable Development Goal #16 and 
the OECD Development Assistance Committee’s 
Fragility Framework. 
(4) Interagency plans for monitoring and eval-
uation, adaptive management, and iterative learning 
that provide for regular and iterative policy and pro-
gram adaptations based on monitoring and evalua-
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tion findings and other evidence generated in each 
such pilot country and across such pilot countries. 
(5) Descriptions of the available policy tools to 
reduce and address the causes of violence, violent 
conflict, and fragility in each such pilot country. 
(6) Descriptions of the resources and authori-
ties that would be required for each relevant Federal 
agency or department to best implement each such 
pilot country plan, as well as evidence-based iterative 
updates to such plans. 
(7) Descriptions of potential areas of improved 
partnership between the United States Government 
and international development organizations, rel-
evant international donors, multilateral organiza-
tions, and the private sector regarding efforts to re-
duce and address the causes of violence, violent con-
flict, and fragility in each such pilot country. 
(8) Plans for regularly evaluating and updating 
on an iterative basis the plans described in this sub-
section. 
(d) PILOT COUNTRY DESIGNATION.—The Adminis-
trator of USAID, in coordination with the Secretary of 
State and the Secretary of Defense, shall carry out the 
following actions: 
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(1) Develop the list of candidate countries 
under consideration for the initiative required under 
this section on the basis of the following: 
(A) Current levels of violence, violent con-
flict, and fragility, as determined by empirical 
data, such as the following, to the extent such 
data are available: 
(i) Total levels of deaths due to vio-
lence and violence-related deaths per 
100,000 population in the candidate coun-
try under consideration. 
(ii) Total levels of violent injuries and 
violence exposure levels in such country. 
(iii) Violent injuries and violence expo-
sure levels per 100,000 population in such 
country. 
(iv) Levels of persons forcibly dis-
placed, whether internally or internation-
ally, due to violence or violent conflict in 
such country. 
(v) Total levels of gender-based vio-
lence and violence against children and 
youth in such country. 
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(vi) Prevalence of physical or sexual 
violence in the last 12 months in such 
country. 
(vii) Levels of mortality due to armed 
group violence in such country. 
(viii) Levels of citizen support for 
armed groups in such country. 
(ix) Such country’s ranking on select 
global fragility lists and select good govern-
ance indexes. 
(x) Such country’s ranking on select 
United States Government conflict and 
atrocity early warning watch lists. 
(xi) Such country’s vulnerability to 
current or future transnational threats. 
(B) An assessment of the potential for 
United States Government activities to reduce 
and address the causes of violence, violent con-
flict, and fragility in each candidate country 
under consideration, including the capacity and 
commitment of relevant entities within each 
such country to participate in the Global Initia-
tive to Reduce Fragility and Violence under this 
section. 
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(2) Organize such candidate countries under 
consideration into the categories of ‘‘Core Country’’ 
and ‘‘Prevention Country’’ such that— 
(A) a candidate country shall be a Core 
Country for purposes of pilot country selection 
where current levels of violence, violent conflict, 
and fragility are highest in the world, as deter-
mined by the data specified in paragraph (1); 
and 
(B) a candidate country shall be a Preven-
tion Country for purposes of pilot country selec-
tion where current levels of violence, violent 
conflict, and fragility are lower than such levels 
in a Core Country, as determined by the data 
specified in paragraph (1), but warning signs 
for future violence, violent conflict, and fragility 
are significant and strategic prevention efforts 
are likely to make a meaningful difference in 
mitigating or preventing future violence, violent 
conflict, and fragility. 
(3) Designate, on the basis of the criteria speci-
fied in paragraph (1), 10 pilot countries, organized 
with not fewer than three countries in each of the 
Core and Prevention categories described in para-
graph (2) and not more than four countries in each 
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geographic region, as determined by the Department 
of State. 
(4) Consider when making designations pursu-
ant to paragraph (3) designating multiple countries 
in the same region if the drivers of violence, violent 
conflict, and fragility are transnational in such re-
gion. 
(e) STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION.—In addition to 
the individuals specified in subsection (a), the initiative 
required under this section shall be developed in coordina-
tion with— 
(1) the United States Ambassador, USAID 
Mission Director, geographic Combatant Commands, 
and relevant inter-agency country teams in each ap-
plicable country; and 
(2) representatives of local civil society and na-
tional and local governance entities, as well as rel-
evant international development organizations, mul-
tilateral organizations, donors, and relevant private, 
academic, and philanthropic entities, as appropriate. 
(f) CONGRESSIONAL CONSULTATION.—The Adminis-
trator of USAID, in coordination with the Secretary of 
State and Secretary of Defense (or their respective des-
ignees), shall provide briefings to the appropriate congres-
sional committees not later than— 
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(1) 45 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act regarding the countries selected as pilot 
countries for the initiative required under this sec-
tion; 
(2) 90 days after such date of enactment re-
garding progress on the individual pilot country 
plans under subsection (c); and 
(3) 30 days after submission of such initiative 
regarding plans for implementing such initiative and 
such individual pilot country plans. 
(g) MEASURING VIOLENCE, VIOLENT CONFLICT, AND 
FRAGILITY.—For the purposes of implementing, moni-
toring, and evaluating the effectiveness of the individual 
pilot country plans required under subsection (c), progress 
towards reducing and addressing the causes of violence, 
violent conflict, and fragility shall be measured by indica-
tors established for each such pilot country by relevant 
inter-agency country teams in each such pilot country, in-
formed by consultations with the stakeholders specified in 
subsection (e)(2). Such indicators shall be based on the 
data described in subsection (d)(1)(A), as appropriate, 
and updated regularly to account for any improvements 
in the available indicators and to include indicators for 
additional priority areas, such as: 
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(1) Improving inclusive, transparent, and ac-
countable power structures, including effective, le-
gitimate, and resilient national and sub-national in-
stitutions. 
(2) Improving effective and respected conflict 
prevention, mitigation, management, and resolution 
mechanisms. 
(3) Reducing levels of citizen support for vio-
lence, violent extremism, and adversarial armed 
groups. 
(4) Ensuring strong foundations for plurality, 
non-discrimination, human rights, rule of law, and 
equal access to justice. 
(5) Addressing political, social, economic, and 
environmental vulnerabilities, grievances, and con-
flicts. 
(6) Ensuring inclusive economic development 
and enabling business environments. 
(7) 
Improving 
resilience 
to 
transnational 
stresses and shocks, including from organized crime 
and violent extremist organizations. 
SEC. 5. IMPLEMENTATION AND UPDATES OF PILOT COUN-
TRY PLANS. 
The Administrator of the United States Agency for 
International Development (USAID), the Secretary of 
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State, the Secretary of Defense, the heads of other rel-
evant Federal agencies and departments, relevant United 
States Ambassadors, USAID Mission Directors, and other 
relevant individuals with responsibility over activities in 
each pilot country designated pursuant to section 4 shall 
ensure that— 
(1) the Global Initiative to Reduce Fragility 
and Violence and each individual pilot country plan 
required under such section are implemented and 
updated on a regular and iterative basis; 
(2) such initiative and individual pilot country 
plans are used to guide United States Government 
policy at a senior level and are incorporated into rel-
evant strategies and plans across the United States 
Government and in each such pilot country; 
(3) detailed and iterative goals, objectives, and 
plans of action are developed, implemented, updated, 
and coordinated among and within each relevant 
Federal agency or department for the duration of 
each such individual pilot country plan; 
(4) resources for all relevant activities in each 
such pilot country are requested and utilized con-
sistent with such initiative and individual pilot coun-
try plans; and 
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(5) the results of program monitoring and eval-
uation under such initiative and individual pilot 
country plans are regularly reviewed and utilized to 
determine continuation, modification, or termination 
of future year programming and that regular and 
iterative policy and program adaptations are made 
to each such plan. 
SEC. 6. BIENNIAL REPORTS AND CONGRESSIONAL CON-
SULTATION. 
(a) BIENNIAL REPORTS.—Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act and every two 
years thereafter until full implementation of the 10-year 
individual pilot country plans required under section 4, the 
Administrator of the United States Agency for Inter-
national Development (USAID), in coordination with the 
Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the 
heads of other relevant Federal agencies and departments, 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
a report on progress made and lessons learned with re-
spect to the Global Initiative to Reduce Fragility and Vio-
lence and each individual pilot country plan required 
under section 4, including— 
(1) descriptions of steps taken to incorporate 
such initiative and such individual pilot country 
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plans into relevant strategies and plans that affect 
such pilot countries; 
(2) accountings of all funding received and obli-
gated to implement each such individual pilot coun-
try plan during the past two years, as well as fund-
ing requested, planned, and projected for the fol-
lowing two years; 
(3) descriptions of progress made towards the 
goals and objectives established for each such indi-
vidual pilot country, including progress made to-
wards achieving the specific targets, metrics, and in-
dicators described in section 4; and 
(4) descriptions of updates made during the 
past two years to the goals, objectives, plans of ac-
tion, and other elements described in section 4(c) for 
each such individual pilot country plan, as well as 
any changes made to programs based on the results 
of monitoring and evaluation in accordance with sec-
tions 4 and 5. 
(b) CONGRESSIONAL CONSULTATION.—The Adminis-
trator of USAID, the Secretary of State, the Secretary 
of Defense, and the heads of other relevant Federal agen-
cies and departments shall jointly consult with the appro-
priate congressional committees not less often than annu-
ally regarding progress made on the initiative and indi-
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vidual pilot country plans required under section 4. The 
consultation requirement under this subsection shall ter-
minate upon full implementation of the 10-year individual 
pilot country plans required under such section. 
SEC. 7. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ASSISTANCE FOR 
THE GLOBAL FRAGILITY AND VIOLENCE RE-
DUCTION INITIATIVE. 
It is the sense of Congress that the President, to-
gether with the Administrator of the United States Agency 
for International Development (USAID), the Secretary of 
State, the Secretary of Defense, and the heads of other 
relevant Federal agencies and departments, should— 
(1) support the creation of a ‘‘Global Fragility 
and Violence Reduction Fund’’ to help support 
USAID and Department of State activities under 
the Global Fragility and Violence Reduction Initia-
tive and individual pilot country plans required 
under section 4; 
(2) work with Congress to provide funding that 
allows for more adaptive program planning and im-
plementation under such initiative and individual 
pilot country plans, including through exemptions 
from specific and minimum funding levels when such 
exemptions would make programs better able to re-
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spond to monitoring and evaluation or changed cir-
cumstances in relevant countries; 
(3) work with Congress to provide funding that 
better integrates conflict and violence reduction ac-
tivities into other program areas where appropriate; 
and 
(4) support the creation of a multilateral fund 
and other international initiatives to improve global 
public and private support for coordinating and 
funding efforts to reduce and address the causes of 
violence, violent conflict, and fragility. 
SEC. 8. GAO REVIEW. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than five years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall conduct an independent review 
of all United States Government activities in each pilot 
country designated pursuant to section 4. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The review re-
quired under subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the extent to which 
United States Government activities in each pilot 
country designated pursuant to section 4 are being 
implemented in accordance with the relevant indi-
vidual pilot country plan required under such sec-
tion. 
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(2) Descriptions of all activities that are being 
implemented in accordance with each such individual 
pilot country plan, including, with respect to each 
such activity, the role of each relevant Federal agen-
cy or department, the entities responsible for imple-
mentation, and the funding level. 
(3) Assessments of the processes and proce-
dures for coordinating among and within each rel-
evant Federal agency or department when imple-
menting each such individual pilot country plan. 
(4) Assessments of the monitoring and evalua-
tion efforts under each such individual pilot country 
plan, including assessments of the progress made 
and lessons learned with respect to each such plan, 
as well as any changes made to activities based on 
the results of such monitoring and evaluation. 
(5) Recommendations for changes necessary to 
better implement United States Government activi-
ties in accordance with such individual pilot country 
plans, as well as recommendations for any changes 
to such plans. 
SEC. 9. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED. 
The term ‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ 
means— 
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(1) the Committees on Foreign Relations, 
Armed Services, and Appropriations of the Senate; 
and 
(2) the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Armed 
Services, and Appropriations of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
Æ 
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