; and (B) report directly to the Secretary of State. (c) Rank and status of ambassador The Special Envoy shall have the rank and status of ambassador. (d) Duties The Special Envoy shall— (1) lead diplomatic engagement— (A) to strengthen and expand the Negev Forum, the Abraham Accords, and related normalization agreements with Israel, including promoting initiatives that benefit the people of key partners in regional integration or other regional actors in order to encourage such expansion; and (B) to support the work of regional integration; (2) implement the policy of the United States to expand normalization and support greater regional integration— (A) within the Middle East and North Africa; and (B) between the Middle East and North Africa and other key regions, including sub-Saharan Africa, the Indo-Pacific region, and beyond; (3) work to deliver tangible economic and security benefits for the citizens of Abraham Accords countries, Negev Forum countries, and countries that are members of other related normalization agreements; (4) serve as the ministerial liaison for the United States to the Negev Forum and other emerging normalization and integration fora, as necessary, and provide senior representation at events, steering committee meetings, and other relevant diplomatic engagements relating to the Negev Forum or other regional integration bodies; (5) coordinate all cross-agency engagements and strategies in support of normalization efforts with other relevant officials and agencies; (6) ensure that the appropriate congressional committees are regularly informed about the work of the Regional Integration Office; (7) initiate and advance negotiations on a framework for an economic and security partnership with the Negev Forum countries, other key partners in regional integration, and other regional actors; (8) oppose efforts to delegitimize Israel and legal barriers to normalization with Israel