The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, represented by the Honourable Helena Guergis, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Minister for Sport, today announced over $30 million in funds and projects to strengthen the rule of law in Afghanistan.

Today’s announcements, made at the Conference on the Rule of Law in Afghanistan in Rome, Italy, include the following:

- a minimum of $10 million a year, over the next three years, for strengthening the rule of law in Afghanistan, including a newly launched program to train judges and prosecutors and informal dispute resolution leaders throughout Kandahar province;

- up to $1.2 million for the construction of three Afghan National Police substations in Kandahar province, in addition to three substations recently funded and constructed by the Department of National Defence; and

- support for enhancing the presence of Correctional Services Canada in Afghanistan.

Canada also announced its strong support for an Afghan and international effort to coordinate justice sector activity in Afghanistan’s 34 provinces through the creation of a Provincial Justice Coordination Mechanism (PJCM). Composed of a central office in Kabul and eight regional offices in key population centres, the PJCM will serve as a framework to systematically expand the rule of law beyond Kabul and into the provinces to ensure that justice programs are effectively implemented. Canada stands ready to support this mechanism by funding a rule of law expert in the Kandahar City regional office.

These announcements build on measures announced in the past year by the Government of Canada, including the deployment of civilian and military police trainers at the national, regional and provincial levels; a $37 million contribution to the United Nations Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan, and $10 million to the UN Reforming the Justice System Program and the International Development Law Organization’s Strengthening the Rule of Law in Afghanistan Program. Last month, Prime Minister Harper announced Canada’s extensive participation in the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan and the creation of an in-service police training facility in Kandahar.

Canada has been active in the promotion of the rule of law, with a view to strengthening Afghan capacity, enhancing access to justice, and protecting and promoting human rights. Establishing the rule of law is integral to rebuilding Afghanistan and promoting peace, stability and democracy. Canada will continue to play an active role in empowering Afghans to build institutions that will foster good governance and the rule of law.

For further information, please see the attached backgrounder or visit www.canada-afghanistan.gc.ca.