The fifth meeting of the Regional Steering Committee of the GF-TADs took place in Addis Ababa, on 5-6 April, 2010. As FAO CVO, Dr Juan Lubroth and interim President of the GF-TADs Steering Committee (SC) gave a welcoming address and chaired the first session.

The Director of AU-IBAR, Prof Ahmed Elsawahly, welcomed the participants and highlighted the need for the different institutions to work closely together according to their own mandates and avoiding overlapping on a close collaborative work as partners. Dr Samuel Zziwa (IGAD) raised the concern of RECs to push on the frontline the livestock and animal health issues in terms of trade and food security. He also appealed for a capacity building approach at the regional level in order for countries to be able to develop their own strategic plans.