Emomali Rahmon - The Times Of Central Asia

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Border Demarcation

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Begin Installing Border Pillars After Completing Border Delimitation

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have begun installing border pillars along their shared frontier, marking the start of the final stage in implementing the landmark border agreement that ended one of Central Asia’s longest-running territorial disputes. On July 14, representatives of the two countries installed the first four border pillars on the section beginning at the tri-junction where the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan meet. The Kyrgyz-Tajik border stretches 1,008.14 kilometers, while the total perimeter of neutral territory amounts to 14.07 kilometers. The installation of border markers follows the completion of the border delimitation process, which began in December 2002 and is widely regarded as a historic breakthrough in relations between the two neighboring countries. On March 13, 2025, in Bishkek, Presidents Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan and Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan signed the Treaty on the Kyrgyz-Tajik State Border, establishing the legal framework for long-term stability, confidence-building, and sustainable development in border regions. The joint Kyrgyz-Tajik demarcation commission has since carried out field surveys covering approximately 416 kilometers of the border between Kyrgyzstan’s Batken Region and Tajikistan’s Sughd Region. It has identified locations for 1,627 border signs, comprising 1,954 border pillars. Both governments describe the completion of legal border formalization and physical demarcation as a key step toward improving regional security, promoting socioeconomic development in border areas, expanding bilateral cooperation, and deepening relations between the two countries. For decades, the Kyrgyz-Tajik border was one of the most volatile in Central Asia. Disputes rooted in conflicting Soviet-era maps, competition over water resources and pastureland, and the complex geography of enclaves such as Vorukh repeatedly triggered clashes between local communities and security forces. The most serious confrontations occurred in April 2021 and September 2022, when fighting involving heavy artillery and armed drones resulted in military and civilian casualties and forced thousands of residents to flee their homes. The border settlement forms part of efforts by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to resolve territorial disputes inherited after the collapse of the Soviet Union. At a summit in Khujand on March 31, 2025, Presidents Japarov, Rahmon, and Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed an agreement defining the junction point of the three countries’ state borders, formally ending decades of territorial disagreements. The three leaders also inaugurated the Friendship Stele, erected at the point where the three national borders meet as a symbol of reconciliation and a new phase of regional cooperation. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan has also proposed establishing the Dostuk, or Friendship, International Trade and Economic Park jointly with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in the tri-border area. The initiative is expected to boost cross-border trade, attract investment, and create new economic opportunities throughout the Ferghana Valley.

Water Supply

Tajikistan Announces Water Infrastructure Drive, Urges Central Asia Cooperation

Tajikistan plans to provide at least 90% of its population with access to a centralized water supply by 2040, in a long-term infrastructure project that would reduce disparities in water services for urban and rural residents. President Emomali Rahmon spoke about Tajikistan’s water goals as well as wider collaboration in Central Asia during a speech at a Dushanbe conference that has drawn delegates from around the world for discussions on water scarcity. Tajikistan and the United Nations are co-hosting the four-day event, which ends on Thursday and is a prelude to a U.N. water conference in the United Arab Emirates in December. In 2023, the World Bank noted that Tajikistan has significant water resources, but said its infrastructure needed large-scale investment and about 55% of its population had access to “safely managed” water supplies. Only 24% of the Central Asian country’s rural population had piped water services, reflecting the big difference between urban and rural areas, according to the World Bank. It also said Tajikistan allocated a far smaller percentage of its annual budget to water supply and sanitation than in other countries in Europe and Central Asia. In his speech on Tuesday, Rahmon said “we are committed to ensuring access” to centralized water supply — a system that can promote quality of service quality and lower costs — for 90% of people in Tajikistan by 2040. “Through this measure, we are determined to guarantee access to clean drinking water for every citizen,” said the president, who has led the country for more than three decades. Tajikistan has more than 10 million people. Rahmon also described “transboundary cooperation in the water sector” as a priority and said Tajikistan will push for more dialogue in Central Asia on addressing critical water challenges. The International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea is an effective platform for promoting the “sustainable development” of water resources, according to the president. Other leaders in Central Asia have made similar comments about the fund, a collective effort to address the ecological disaster that followed the collapse of what was once one of the largest lakes in the world. The Aral Sea started shrinking decades ago after Soviet engineers diverted rivers for irrigation. Regional cooperation on water management has gained momentum in recent years, though some officials and analysts are still concerned that water shortages could stir tension between upstream and downstream countries in Central Asia.

Border disputes

UN General Assembly Adopts Kyrgyzstan-Led Resolution on Border Disputes

On May 20, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus a Kyrgyzstan-backed resolution titled “Peaceful Settlement of Border Disputes,” Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Ministry announced. More than 40 countries co-sponsored the document. The resolution was presented by Kyrgyzstan jointly with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. According to the ministry, the main purpose of the resolution is to share with the international community the historic achievement of the three Central Asian countries in resolving border disputes through peaceful means, including dialogue and negotiations, in accordance with the UN Charter and international law. The resolution proposes what Kyrgyz officials described as a simple and universal principle: when states face border disputes, the way forward should be peaceful, lawful, and based on dialogue. According to the ministry, the Central Asian achievements highlighted in the resolution offer the international community an example of good-neighborly relations and peaceful dispute resolution. The adoption of the resolution is another confirmation of the ability of Kyrgyzstan and its neighbors to peacefully resolve complex issues that had remained unsettled for decades, the ministry stated. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have recently resolved long-standing border delimitation disputes in the Ferghana Valley inherited after the collapse of the Soviet Union. During a summit in Khujand, northern Tajikistan, on March 31, 2025, Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov, Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon, and Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a historic agreement on the junction point of the three countries’ state borders, effectively ending decades-long territorial disputes. The three leaders also inaugurated the Friendship Stele, marking the exact point where the borders of the three countries meet. The monument symbolizes friendship among the three nations, the resolution of long-standing border issues, and a new stage of regional cooperation. The Times of Central Asia previously reported on Kyrgyzstan’s initiative to establish the Dostuk (Friendship) International Trade and Economic Park jointly with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in the border area where the three countries meet. The proposed project is expected to increase cross-border trade, attract investment, and create new economic opportunities across the region.

Chinese Investment

Tajikistan’s Rahmon Seeks Deeper Economic Ties During China Visit

More than 700 companies with Chinese capital are operating in Tajikistan, and about 12.5% of the nearly $7 billion in foreign investment that entered the Central Asian country’s economy last year came from China, according to Tajikistan’s presidency. Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon shared the data after arriving in Beijing on Monday to push for even closer economic ties with China, which surpassed Russia last year to become Tajikistan’s largest trading partner. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Rahmon was making the May 11-14 trip at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, who will then host U.S. President Donald Trump from May 13 to 15 China is expanding economic projects and investment across Central Asia, and the rapid pace of development is evident in numerous initiatives currently underway in Tajikistan. Last month, government and industry officials from the two countries met in Dushanbe to discuss “green minerals,” the materials – abundant in Tajikistan – that are used in clean energy technologies such as solar power and electric vehicle batteries. In February, the first container train from China arrived in Tajikistan’s capital after passing through Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan on what the Chinese embassy said was a new trade route. “The development of modern transport and economic corridors through Tajikistan linking China and South Asian countries with the Middle East was described as another factor promoting cooperation with neighboring China,” Tajikistan’s presidency said in a summary of Rahmon’s speech in Beijing on Monday. More than 50 agreements were signed between Tajik and Chinese companies during the presidential visit. The deals are projected to attract more than $8 billion in investment to Tajikistan, the presidency said. Despite the escalation in trade ties, some economists warn that Tajikistan is becoming more economically dependent on China and that its trade deficit is deepening that vulnerability. China has also expressed concern about the safety of its Tajikistan-based workers after attacks on Chinese installations from the Afghan side of the border in the last year.

Rahmon in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan Launch 10 Joint Projects During Rahmon’s State Visit

Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev welcomed his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon to Tashkent on March 26 for a state visit marked by high-level talks, and the launch of joint economic projects. Talks between the presidents followed, first in a one-on-one format and then during the inaugural meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council, a new platform aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation. Mirziyoyev described the visit as a landmark in bilateral relations, noting that the council would elevate cooperation and provide a mechanism for implementing joint initiatives. Both sides highlighted the increasing frequency of contacts between government institutions, parliaments, and agencies. In the lead-up to the visit, a series of events took place, including an intergovernmental commission meeting, an industrial exhibition, and forums involving regional leaders, academics, and youth. Uzbekistan also hosted Days of Tajik Culture and Cinema. During the discussions, Mirziyoyev and Rahmon reviewed opportunities to expand cooperation across key sectors, including trade, industry, transport, and water and energy security. Bilateral trade approached $1 billion last year, driven largely by the exchange of finished goods. The two countries aim to double this figure to $2 billion by 2030. Planned measures include accelerating the establishment of the Oybek-Fotekhobod border trade center, introducing digital certification systems and “E-Permit” mechanisms, and modernizing border infrastructure. The sides also agreed to adopt an industrial cooperation program covering mining, energy, agriculture, construction, and manufacturing. Following the council meeting, Mirziyoyev and Rahmon attended a ceremony to launch 10 joint projects. These include new enterprises producing furniture and leather goods, expanded household appliance manufacturing, textile production facilities in Tajikistan, and construction projects in Tashkent. Additional initiatives include food processing plants in Uzbekistan's Fergana region, dairy production in the city of Andijan, and facilities for making fruit juice and metal briquettes in the country's Surkhandarya region. A ceremony was also held to name a street in New Tashkent after Dushanbe, underscoring symbolic ties between the two capitals. The visit also featured the opening of a new building for Tajikistan’s embassy in Tashkent. The complex includes administrative offices, a consular section, a residence for the ambassador, and housing for diplomatic staff and their families. Cultural diplomacy formed another key part of the visit. Mirziyoyev and Rahmon attended a joint concert at the International Forums Palace featuring performers from both countries, with a program highlighting shared cultural heritage and longstanding ties between the Uzbek and Tajik peoples. The leaders also discussed regional and international issues, reaffirming their commitment to continued dialogue and cooperation within Central Asia. They agreed to strengthen coordination on security matters and expand interregional ties, as well as humanitarian, educational, and scientific exchanges. Given the presence of large diaspora communities in both countries, a proposal was put forward to adopt a five-year program aimed at strengthening cultural and humanitarian connections. At the conclusion of the visit, both sides agreed to develop a comprehensive roadmap to ensure implementation of the agreements reached, signaling continued efforts to expand cooperation across political, economic, and cultural spheres.

Emomali Rahmon

After Absence, Tajikistan’s Rahmon Highlights a Daily Schedule

He’s back. President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan met Kazakhstan’s foreign minister on Monday, two days after welcoming the head of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to Dushanbe. It might seem like routine business for the leader of a country. But the meetings, during which Rahmon was photographed and shown in video, followed more than two weeks during which Tajikistan’s president hadn’t been seen in public. The absence prompted some media and other online questions about his whereabouts and health, possibly prompting the presidency to issue a statement last week that said Rahmon had upcoming meetings. The 73-year-old president, who has held the post since 1994, posed for a photographed handshake with Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev that was posted on the website of Tajikistan’s presidential office. Rahmon’s account on X also showed a video of a meeting between him and Zou Jiayi of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank on Saturday. In addition, on Sunday, the presidential office posted a video of Rahmon congratulating Chinese President Xi Jinping on the beginning of the Chinese New Year. Speaking in a deep voice, Rahmon sat in front of an image of tree blossoms that are associated with the Spring Festival, which runs into early March. Rahmon´s son, Rustam Emomali, is chairman of the National Assembly and would take over as interim president if his father is unable to serve.