AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR THE INDIAN OCEAN REGION.

SEC. 5144. [22 U.S.C. 2651a note] AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR THE INDIAN OCEAN REGION. (a) Establishment.—There is authorized to be in the Department an Ambassador-at-Large for the Indian Ocean Region who shall be responsible to the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Political Affairs, for— (1) matters relating to the Indian Ocean region; and (2) such other related duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate. (b) Appointment.—The ambassador described in subsection (a) may only be established if appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. (c) Responsibilities.— (1) In general.—The responsibilities of the Ambassador-at-Large for the Indian Ocean Region may include— (A) ensuring harmonization and continuity of United States diplomatic efforts and assistance programs across Indian Ocean region countries; (B) identifying the diplomatic, military, economic, and development lines of effort that are of greatest United States strategic interest in Indian Ocean region countries and reinforcing United States diplomatic and interagency engagement with respect to such lines of effort; and (C) identifying and reinforcing United States diplomatic and interagency engagement to counter malign People’s Republic of China influence activities in the Indian Ocean region and Indian Ocean region countries that are contrary to United States interests. (2) Indian ocean region countries defined.—In this subsection, the term “Indian Ocean region countries” means— (A) the littoral countries of the Indian Ocean; and (B) such other countries as the Secretary may determine, after consultation with the appropriate congressional committees.