Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov formally ratified a historic border agreement with Tajikistan, bringing closure to a decades-long territorial dispute.
The presidential office confirmed the ratification on Tuesday, completing a legislative process that saw Kyrgyzstan’s parliament approve the measure in three consecutive readings last week.
The breakthrough follows years of intermittent conflict along the nearly 1,000-kilometre frontier, most notably in 2021 when three days of fighting claimed 55 lives, and again in September 2022 when a two-day border war left at least 100 dead and displaced approximately 140,000 civilians.
Disputes stemmed from unresolved Soviet-era demarcations, competition over water resources, and disputes surrounding several exclaves.
President Japarov and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon originally signed the demarcation agreement in Bishkek on 13 March, with both leaders hailing it as a foundation for lasting stability.
The Kyrgyz presidency emphasised that the newly established legal framework would not only secure the border region but also create conditions for enhanced economic cooperation and cross-border community development.
The settlement carries broader implications for Central Asia, where approximately 30 per cent of interstate borders remain contested. As both nations maintain close ties with Moscow and Beijing, the resolution could influence other territorial disputes in the region while potentially unlocking new transit and energy projects.
