People amassed at the frontier separating Kyrgyzstan from Tajikistan, anticipating their initial opportunity to traverse it since 2021.

Citizens were able to reunite with their relatives following the signing of a border treaty between President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan and President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan on March 13 in Bishkek. This concluded many years of disagreements and escalating tensions.

“The border treaty will establish a strong base for the broader development of our bilateral relations and turn a new chapter in Tajik-Kyrgyz ties,” stated Rahmon.

“The signing of the border agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will be a significant historic moment,” the President of Kyrgyzstan further stated.

By taking this step, we will significantly enhance security, stability, and sustainable growth for both our countries and the whole Central Asian area.

The frontier separating these two nations, long contested over many years, was shut down in 2021 after eruptive confrontations occurred.

A tumultuous history

Talks regarding the 1000-kilometer border continued for 23 years.

Even though the nations reached an agreement on delineating certain borders in mountainous regions, they remained at odds over the division of grazing lands and water sources.

Regional conflicts resulted in road obstructions, rock throwing, and confrontations that often escalated to involve border patrol officers.

The localized conflicts continued until 2021, marking the first instance where significant military hardware was utilized.

A dispute over a water-intake station developed into a conflict, which resulted in 55 dead and 300 wounded on both sides.

Consequently, both nations shut down their borders and halted air travel between them.

Tensions escalated once more in September 2022, marking the most intense dispute up to this point.

Each side blamed the other for initiating the attack, causing civilian casualties, and violating the truce agreements.

In Kyrgyzstan, 59 fatalities and 198 injuries were recorded, whereas Tajikistan documented 41 deaths and 100 injured individuals. Additionally, the unrest led to the evacuation of 136,000 people from Kyrgyzstan because of artillery fire.

This confrontation served as a wakeup call and spurred efforts to restart border talks, which remained complex.

Each side aimed to stick with maps that favored their interests.

Tajikistan aimed to adhere to the 1924-1927 maps, which were developed during the initial phase of the Soviet Union’s efforts to delineate the boundaries of all Central Asian republics.

However, the Kyrgyz pushed for utilizing more contemporary maps, including ones produced during the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

The issue was exacerbated by the presence of Tajikistan’s two enclaves within Kyrgyz territory—Vorukh and Kayragach.

Under the terms of the new agreement, portions of the land were transferred to Kyrgyzstan in exchange for different territories.

Kamchybek Tashiev, who leads Kyrgyzstan’s national security committee and spearheads the border negotiations, emphasized that both sides had to make compromises since “the border dispute should not be settled at the expense of just one party.”

Following the talks, the nations swapped approximately 25 square kilometers of territory, with certain streets and regions marked as neutral territories for joint utilization.

A fresh chapter in collaboration

In addition to the border accord, both leaders inked 15 collaboration pacts covering issues like roadway usage and the management of key aquatic resources.

Airlines resumed flights between the nations the following day.

The recently signed pact, addressing the final land conflict in Central Asia, aims to boost regional stability and security. It also seeks to establish more transit pathways and increase commercial activities.