The Africa Center of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals (ACEIDHA) was established at the University of Zambia through a World Bank initiative. The increased reports in Africa of emerging and zoonotic diseases, such as, influenza, Ebola virus infections and Rift Valley fever are of major public health concern. As a result, ACEIDHA was established with the main aim of delivering high quality research and training at MSc and PhD levels to students in Africa, so as to reduce the identified critical shortage of skilled human resource in the diagnosis, prevention and control of infectious diseases on the continent. The ACEIDHA with its collaborators boasts of the finest biomedical research facilities on the continent ranging from Biosafety Level (BSL) 2 to BSL 3 laboratories. The center has four thematic areas that include emerging and zoonotic viral diseases, emerging and zoonotic bacterial diseases including antimicrobial resistance, neglected tropical diseases and vector-borne zoonotic diseases with the main focus of elucidating the ecology of pathogens in environments with a diverse complex ecosystem of nature.