This bill requires the Secretary of State to develop a comprehensive strategy for countering al-Qaeda's expansion in Mali within 180 days of enactment. The legislation directs the State Department to produce a detailed report analyzing al-Qaeda's territorial control, financing mechanisms including illegal gold trafficking, recruitment tactics, and cross-border operations with extremist groups in neighboring countries like Burkina Faso and Niger. The report must also include a diplomatic strategy outlining how the United States will work with regional and international partners to constrain al-Qaeda's influence through improved coordination, intelligence sharing, and efforts to address the economic and governance conditions that enable terrorist recruitment. The bill affects U.S. foreign policy in West Africa and involves coordination across multiple federal agencies, though it does not specify particular funding amounts or appropriations for counterterrorism operations.