The presidents of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan—Emomali Rahmon, Sadyr Japarov, and Shavkat Mirziyoyev—are set to meet in Khujand, the administrative center of Tajikistan’s Sughd Region. According to Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov, this will be the first-ever summit in this format.
The meeting will coincide with Navruz, the traditional Persian and Turkic New Year celebration marking the arrival of spring. The event will feature a rich cultural program, with artists from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan joining their Tajik counterparts for festive performances.
Border Agreement to Be Signed
The summit’s most significant political milestone will be the signing of a tripartite border junction agreement, previously announced by President Rahmon. This follows a historic resolution of the longstanding border dispute between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
After nearly 23 years of negotiations, the two countries finalized their border agreement on March 13 in Bishkek, which has already been ratified by both parliaments. While the borders between Uzbekistan and both its neighbors had been legally defined earlier, the process of demarcation—marking the borders on the ground—continues.
Tajik political analyst Saifullo Safarov described border issues as a major challenge since the three nations gained independence in 1991. He emphasized that, despite the complexity of these disputes, the leaders have found a path to resolution.
"This junction has long been a source of tension, so the presidents chose to settle it during Navruz, a time of unity. This agreement will improve political, cultural, and economic relations while also addressing social challenges in border communities," Safarov explained.
Decades of Disputed Borders
During the Soviet era, republican borders were administrative rather than fixed national boundaries. When Central Asia’s national-territorial divisions were established between 1924 and 1929, many borders—including those of modern Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—were never legally formalized.
This lack of clear demarcation fueled tensions for years. Tajikistan shares a 1,330 km border with Uzbekistan and a 980 km border with Kyrgyzstan, while the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border stretches 1,380 km.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Based on TASS materials