Historic border agreements and intergovernmental cooperation in the Fergana Valley give hope for long-term peace

There has been a whirlwind of progress on building peace between the governments of Central Asia’s Fergana Valley region, where the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan meet. Cooperation between civil society and citizens on all sides of the borders will help sustain progress.

For those in Central Asia, recent developments in the border regions of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan would have been almost unimaginable a few years ago. For the first time ever, the presidents of these three nations gathered for a trilateral summit last month in Khujand, northern Tajikistan, to address decades of violent conflict and tension. In the landmark summit, the leaders embraced and spoke of their commitment to fostering neighbourly relations and cooperating in a range of areas – from transport and trade to infrastructure and business investment. As the presidents emphasised, the most important precondition for cooperation and connectivity is ensuring sustainable peace and further regional integration – and that all issues between them be resolved through peaceful dialogue.

This historic trilateral summit followed significant agreements aimed at defining the full length of each country’s border: one agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in March 2025, and another between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in 2023. These border agreements are designed to resolve decades-old disputes stemming from Soviet-era borders in the Fergana Valley region. The region has a rich history of diverse ethnic and linguistic groups living in close proximity, often across borders and within enclaves – mostly coexisting peacefully, but with periods of instability. The borders that solidified in the 1990s took on new significance, and at times became a source of tension. While skirmishes over land or water resources were common, the largest violent conflicts unfolded in 2021 and 2022 when Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan engaged in full-scale military clashes. These incidents have led to much destruction and loss of life over the years, and have soured relations at higher diplomatic levels.

The progress is impressive, particularly considering the recent history within the region, as well as the global trend of faltering alliances. Central Asia has long been one of the least integrated regions globally and lacks a regionally-led institution equivalent to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), for example. Historically, regional cooperation has often been driven by external powers – Russia, the US, the European Union or China – rather than internal initiatives. While these external platforms are valuable, disputes over borders and water resources have frequently hindered meaningful collaboration. The trilateral efforts of the Fergana Valley nations, alongside increased engagement among all five Central Asian countries (also including Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan), mark an important shift towards regionally led connectivity. These efforts signal that genuine political will and determination to create a more peaceful, prosperous region may finally be taking root.

However, challenges remain. Border delimitation and demarcation are critical steps, but they will require ongoing dialogue at multiple levels to prevent the resurfacing of tensions. Climate change, environmental harm and water resource management, including Afghanistan’s Qosh-Tepa canal project diverting water from the Amu Darya, are pressing concerns. Cross-border security issues, such as trafficking in persons and illicit and violent transnational groups, and irregular migration also demand sustained focus.

These issues cannot be solved by national governments alone. Civil society and border communities must play a central role in consolidating peace. News outlets might have led with photos of President Japarov of Kyrgyzstan and President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan signing the border deal in Bishkek last month, but it was the broadcast of border communities crossing the checkpoint and embracing that resonated most powerfully. These communities, together with their local authorities, will be at the forefront of ensuring that any issues that arise in the future can be resolved peacefully.

Civil society organisations will be key to this process. Their existing work with border communities, offering spaces, tools and support for local-level conflict prevention/resolution and peacebuilding, has helped lay the groundwork for this agreement. Acting as a bridge between citizens and authorities, they can continue to ensure that concerns are addressed effectively. National, provincial and local governments should prioritise including civil society groups in their governance plans, and work together to achieve shared goals.

Greater cross-border cooperation between civil society groups is also vital to sustaining peace. This window of opportunity should be used to strengthen regional civil society networks. Such initiatives underscore the importance of civil society in maintaining momentum and it will be vital to continue these in the months and years ahead. National and local governments within the region should consult and collaborate with these organisations, ensuring their participation in regional discussions. With increasing connectivity and the space allowing for these connections to be formed, there is hope that civil society in Central Asia will take a greater lead in forging cross-border partnerships, fostering peace, and driving greater regional prosperity. The combination of high-level political will and diplomatic engagement, locally led civil society action and people-to-people connections will help ensure that the peace that is built today will be a sustainable one.

Photo: Presidents Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan (left), Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan (right) meet ahead of signing a triborder deal and the Khujand Declaration on Eternal Friendship on Monday in Khujand, Tajikistan. (Photo: president.uz)