The Strengthening Institutions for Risk Management of Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) in the SADC Region (SADC TADs Project) in Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia aims to contribute to improved food security and promotion of wealth creation, and enhanced rural livelihoods by progressively controlling TADs of regional strategic importance, namely FMD and CBPP; and by enhancing the regional capacity for preparedness against the spread of TADs. The objective of the project is to enhance livestock as a tradable and consumable commodity through assured animal health, more specifically, through improved capacity for detection, identification, monitoring and surveillance of TADs in the region. This project augurs well with the notion by the OIE and FAO that surveillance and control of TADs, coupled with the need for quality veterinary services, constitute not only national, but also regional and international public goods. The public goods concept stems from the perspective of loss of human lives and investment security. It is based on the premise that the interventions would improve the environment for the commercialisation of the livestock industry, including exports within and outside the SADC region. The Project has the following components: - Networking and Information Sharing; - Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening; and - Coordination and Management. The total cost of the project is UA15.23 million/US$ 22.845 million. The AfDB Grant is UA 13.71 million/US$ 20.565 million. Other Sources of finance for this project will come from the SADC Secretariat (UA 0.34 million/US$ 0.51 million) and the participating countries (UA 1.18 million/US$ 1.77 million). The project was approved on July 2006. It is expected to start sometime 1 January 2007 and last for 5 years.