On 24-25 June 2015 the 4^th Global Animal Health conference took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Although the conference dealt with the topic of regulatory convergence on a global level, the main focus was the regulatory situation in East Africa and across the African continent as whole. Further to this central aim, The GAH was also an opportunity to discuss the promotion of market control and access in the area; a chance to consider local opportunities and challenges towards harmonised regulatory systems in compliance with international standards and guidelines. In this article, Rick Clayton, Technical Director at HealthforAnimals, reviews the event.