Animal diseases can cause serious social, economic and environmental damage and in some cases also threaten human health. An increasing number of the major disease problems or threats faced by the livestock industry and zoonoses are of a global nature. The overall aim of the global strategic alliances for the coordination of research on the major infectious diseases of animals is to improve coordination of research activities on the major infectious diseases of livestock and zoonoses so as to hasten the delivery of improved control methods. This will be achieved through the establishment of an international forum of R&D programme owners/managers and international organisations for the purpose of sharing information, improving collaboration on research activities and working towards common research agendas and coordinated research funding on the major animal diseases affecting livestock production and/or human health. It will build on the groundwork established by the SCAR collaborative working group on animal health and welfare research, the EMIDA ERA-NET project and specific INCO-NETs involving partner countries. The scope of the project will include co-ordination of research relevant to emerging and major infectious diseases of livestock, including fish and managed bees, and those infections of livestock that may carry the risk of disease threat to human health. Diseases of wildlife will also be considered where they are identified as reservoirs of infection with emerging and major infectious diseases of humans or production animals.These objectives will be delivered through the following five workpackages: WP1. Project coordination, management, communication and dissemination; WP2. Sharing information on existing research programmes; WP3. Analysis of and responding to global, regional and industry sector priorities; WP4. Networking of ongoing research activities on major issues and WP5. Developing a strategic trans-national animal health research agendas.