“It is the sense of Congress that—“(1) terrorist and violent extremist organizations, such as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Boko Haram, the Islamic State of West Africa, and other affiliated groups, have killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians, displaced populations, destabilized local and national governments, and caused mass human suffering in the affected communities;
“(2) poor governance, political and economic marginalization, and lack of accountability for human rights abuses by security forces are drivers of extremism;
“(3) it is in the national security interest of the United States—“(A) to combat the spread of terrorism and violent extremism; and
“(B) to build the capacity of partner countries to combat such threats in Africa;
“(4) terrorist and violent extremist organizations exploit vulnerable and marginalized communities suffering from poverty, lack of economic opportunity (particularly among youth populations), corruption, and weak governance; and
“(5) a comprehensive, coordinated, interagency approach is needed to develop an effective strategy—“(A) to address the security challenges in the Sahel-Maghreb;
“(B) to appropriately allocate resources and de-conflict programs; and
“(C) to maximize the effectiveness of United States defense, diplomatic, and development capabilities.
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