Minister of Higher Education, Hon. Prof. Nkandu Luo, MP, said that the partnership between the Government and the World Bank through the Africa Centre of Excellence of Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals (ACEIDHA) at the University of Zambia would assist in transforming various aspects of higher education and improve the research capacity in the country.

Prof. Luo said that her Ministry was happy at the progress made so far by ACEIDHA and that the project should be a beacon of excellence in research as well as human resource training in the country and the region. She called upon the World Bank to continue funding the project even after its initial term expired in 2022. She assured the World Bank of Government's support to the project.

And World Bank Senior Director of Education - Global Practice, Mr. Jaime Saavendra, said that the Centre would be a reservoir of high-quality research and training of human capital at Masters and Ph.D. levels which would, in turn, contribute to economic growth. He said that the World Bank felt that ACEIDHA was an excellent investment.

Speaking at the same meeting, the University of Zambia Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Enala Tembo-Mwase, assured Government and the World Bank of Management support of ACEIDHA activities and ensure that the project stood out as a centre of excellence in research and teaching in Zambia and the African continent in general. Prof. Tembo-Mwase said that although the mission of ACEIDHA was gigantic, the team was equal to the task.

This was one of the World Bank's meetings to check on the progress of ACEIDHA and its achievement of set goals which took place on Monday, 10th December 2018 at the School of Veterinary Medicine Boardroom.