Sec. 6131. Humanitarian relief for the people of Libya and international refugees and migrants in Libya
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It is the sense of Congress that— the United States Government should, including in alignment with Libya’s status inclusion in the U.S. Global Fragility Act Strategy— continue senior-level efforts to address humanitarian needs in Libya, which has been exacerbated by conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic; engage diplomatically with Libyan entities to guarantee constant, reliable humanitarian access by frontline providers in Libya; engage diplomatically with the Libyan entities, the United Nations, and the European Union to encourage the voluntary safe passage of detained vulnerable migrants and refugees from the conflict zones in Libya; and support efforts to document and publicize gross violations of internationally recognized human rights and international humanitarian law, including efforts related to severe forms of trafficking in persons such as slavery, forced labor, and sexual exploitation, and hold perpetrators accountable; and deliver humanitarian assistance targeted toward those most in need and delivered through partners that uphold internationally recognized humanitarian principles, with robust monitoring to ensure assistance is reaching intended beneficiaries.
The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, in coordination with the Secretary of State, should continue to support humanitarian assistance to individuals and communities in Libya, including— health assistance, including logistical and technical assistance to hospitals, ambulances, and health clinics in affected communities, including migrant communities, and provision of basic public health commodities, including support for an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic; services, such as medicines and medical supplies and equipment; assistance to provide— protection, food, and shelter, including to migrant communities; water, sanitation, and hygiene (commonly referred to as WASH ); and resources and training to increase communications and education to help communities slow the spread of COVID-19 and to increase vaccine acceptance; and technical assistance to ensure health, food, and commodities are appropriately selected, procured, targeted, monitored, and distributed.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy on the following: How the United States, working with relevant foreign governments and multilateral organizations, plans to address the humanitarian situation in Libya. Diplomatic efforts by the United States to encourage strategic burden-sharing and the coordination of donations with international donors, including foreign governments and multilateral organizations to advance the provision of humanitarian assistance to the people of Libya and international migrants and refugees in Libya.
How to address humanitarian access challenges and ensure protection for vulnerable refugees and migrants, including protection from severe forms of trafficking in persons such as slavery, forced labor, and sexual exploitation. How the United States is mitigating risk, utilizing third party monitors, and ensuring effective delivery of assistance. How to address the tragic and persistent deaths of migrants and refugees at sea and human trafficking. It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State, working with United States allies, international organizations, and implementing partners, including local implementing partners, to the extent practicable, should continue coordinated international stabilization efforts in Libya to— build up the capacity of implementers and national mine action authorities engaged in conventional weapons destruction efforts and mine risk education training and programs; and conduct operational clearance of explosive remnants of war resulting from the 2011 revolution and current military conflict in Libya, including in territory previously occupied by ISIS-Libya, and particularly in areas where unexploded ordnance, booby traps, and anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines contaminate areas of critical infrastructure and large housing districts posing a risk of civilian casualties.
To the maximum extent practicable, humanitarian assistance authorized under subsection
(b)and the strategy required by subsection
(c)shall take into account and integrate Department of State-led stabilization efforts— to address— contamination from landmines and other explosive remnants of war left from the 2011 revolution and current military conflict in Libya, including in territory previously occupied by ISIS-Libya; and proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons resulting from such conflict and the destabilizing impact the proliferation of such weapons has in Libya and neighboring countries; and to mitigate the threat that destruction of conventional weapons poses to development, the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and the safe and secure return of internally displaced persons. In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means— the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.