Enhancing Regional Animal Disease Surveillance under the TADS Program

The Regional Program for the Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases in Africa (TADS Program) represents a coordinated, multi-partner initiative to safeguard animal health, protect livelihoods, and support safe trade in live animals and animal products across African and Arab regions. Jointly implemented by AU-IBAR, the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), and in collaboration with African Union Member States, the program is designed to address critical gaps in disease surveillance, early warning systems, and veterinary public health.

As part of this strategic initiative, a five-day training on Event-Based Surveillance (EBS) for Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) was launched in Tunis, Tunisia, on July 14, 2025. The training aims to enhance regional capacities for early detection, risk assessment, and rapid response to four priority TADs: Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), Rift Valley Fever (RVF), and Brucellosis. These diseases significantly threaten public health, food security, and economic development across the continent.

Speaking on behalf of Dr. Huyam Salih, Director of AU-IBAR, Dr. Hiver Boussini highlighted the importance of this initiative and its alignment with the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of TADs (GF-TADs), which AU-IBAR co-chairs. He emphasized the enduring partnership with AOAD and underscored the importance of collective technical engagement, noting, “Your technical expertise and engagement are critical to the success of this initiative and to the broader vision of resilient, integrated animal health systems across Africa.”

The training is not an isolated activity but an integral part of AU-IBAR’s broader Strategic Plan 2024–2028, particularly Strategic Objective 3, which prioritizes the strengthening of animal health systems and the control of priority epizootic diseases in Africa. Through this initiative, national veterinary personnel from 10 AU Member States—Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Niger, South Africa, and Tanzania—are being equipped with practical skills in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), digital disease mapping, data analysis, and risk management.

Participants are engaging in a structured agenda that includes country-led presentations on existing surveillance frameworks, hands-on sessions in risk mapping and GIS, and exercises in risk assessment and mitigation strategies. These efforts are geared toward building a coordinated, data-driven, and risk-based surveillance ecosystem that reinforces regional stability and facilitates safe, sustainable trade.

By addressing institutional and technical capacity gaps, the TADS Program continues to play a transformative role in Africa’s animal health landscape. The activities underway in Tunisia mark a significant step in the ongoing commitment to strengthen disease monitoring and control, in full alignment with AU-IBAR’s strategic objectives. Ultimately, this initiative supports a resilient One Health approach that links veterinary health to food security, livelihoods, and regional economic integration.