The Government of Canada and UNOPS have completed emergency repairs and security upgrades of the Afghan Central Prisons Directorate (CPD) Headquarters, which suffered major damage as a result of a fatal complex attack in February 2009.

Immediately following the February attack, the CPD engineering team surveyed the premises and drew up a plan for the repairs and security upgrades of the headquarters building with support from the US-led Correctional System Support Program (CSSP).

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Rule of Law Program under the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the UN requested UNOPS assistance with the implementation of the plan. With funding provided by the Government of Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, UNOPS successfully completed the repairs and security upgrades of the CPD Headquarters.

“We have been pleased to partner with UNOPS in the rehabilitation of the Afghan Central Prisons Department. The Department plays an integral role in helping to enhance prison conditions.

Canada is proud to support its efforts to strengthen prisons in ways that recognize rule of law and respect international standards of incarceration, in Kandahar and across Afghanistan,” said Canada’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ron Hoffmann.

UNOPS prepared the designs for the repairs and security upgrades and supervised the construction works undertaken by a local Afghan contractor.

“UNOPS has been pleased to partner with the Government of Canada, which has provided nearly $300,000 to support the Government of Afghanistan’s rehabilitation of the Central Prison Department’s headquarters”, said Bruce McCarron, UNOPS Country Director.

The repaired headquarters building is now ready for use with security improvements in place to prevent future attacks.