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
PL 115-353 (H.R.4819), enacted 12/21/2018

132 STAT. 5070 
PUBLIC LAW 115–353—DEC. 21, 2018 
Public Law 115–353 
115th Congress 
An Act 
To promote inclusive economic growth through conservation and biodiversity pro-
grams that facilitate transboundary cooperation, improve natural resource manage-
ment, and build local capacity to protect and preserve threatened wildlife species 
in the greater Okavango River Basin of southern Africa. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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 com-
bat trafficking, ensure responsible resource management, sup-
port 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 
Defending 
Economic 
Livelihoods and 
Threatened 
Animals Act. 
22 USC 2151p 
note. 
Dec. 21, 2018 
[H.R. 4819] 
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132 STAT. 5071 
PUBLIC LAW 115–353—DEC. 21, 2018 
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 eco-
nomic growth through conservation and biodiversity programs that 
facilitate transboundary cooperation, improve water and natural 
resource management, and build local capacity to protect and pre-
serve threatened wildlife species in the greater Okavango River 
Basin and neighboring watersheds and conservation areas. 
SEC. 5. STRATEGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—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 organiza-
tions, 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 sub-
section (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) 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 enforce-
ment, community leaders, and park rangers to detect, disrupt, 
and prosecute poachers and traffickers; 
(4) promote conservation as a foundation for inclusive eco-
nomic growth and development within a comprehensive assist-
ance 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 suc-
cess, that are included in grants, contracts, and cooperative 
Zambia. 
Zimbabwe. 
Coordination. 
Angola. 
Botswana. 
Namibia. 
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132 STAT. 5072 
PUBLIC LAW 115–353—DEC. 21, 2018 
agreements to ensure the effective use of United States foreign 
assistance; and 
(7) coordinate with and build the capacity of regional con-
servation frameworks in order to advance regional conservation 
objectives. 
SEC. 6. UNITED STATES SUPPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—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) 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 CON-
SERVATION 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 objec-
tives. 
(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 wild-
life 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 mecha-
nisms, 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.—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.—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; 
Angola. 
Botswana. 
Namibia. 
Coordination. 
Angola. 
Botswana. 
Namibia. 
Coordination. 
Coordination. 
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132 STAT. 5073 
PUBLIC LAW 115–353—DEC. 21, 2018 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4819: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018): 
July 17, considered and passed House. 
Dec. 19, considered and passed Senate. 
(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 con-
servation 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 Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; 
and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the Senate. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of State. 
Approved December 21, 2018. 
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