President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan has signed the Treaty on Friendship, Good-Neighbourliness and Cooperation for the Development of Central Asia in the 21st Century during a ceremony held at the presidential residence in Dushanbe.
The signing took place in the presence of Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Murat Nurtleyu, who is on an official visit to Tajikistan. During their talks, both leaders emphasized that the full implementation of the treaty will be a key factor in ensuring peace, stability, and sustainable development across the region, the President’s press service reported.
The signing marks Tajikistan’s formal return to the region’s unified legal and integration framework. The treaty was initially initialed in 2022 in Cholpon-Ata by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, while Tajikistan and Turkmenistan reserved signing pending internal procedures. With Dushanbe now on board, the Central Asian “five” are one step closer to a unified legal platform. Turkmenistan remains the only country yet to sign.
Key provisions of the treaty include:
- Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of borders;
- Rejection of the use of force and participation in military blocs directed against any party;
- Prohibition of using national territory to harm other signatories;
- Joint efforts to combat terrorism, extremism, and transnational crime;
- Cooperation in defense technology, economy, transport, and water-energy projects;
- Restoration of the Aral Sea ecosystem;
- Promotion of shared cultural heritage.
The treaty is indefinite in duration, with Kazakhstan serving as the depositary. It will enter into force upon ratification by all member states.
The signing coincided with discussions on upcoming high-level events, including the CIS summit and the “Central Asia–Russia” meeting, underscoring the treaty’s integration into the region’s practical diplomatic agenda.
This move reinforces a broader trend of institutionalizing regional cooperation: in 2025, Central Asian nations also signed a pact on “eternal good-neighborliness” with China, highlighting their commitment to a multi-vector and stable international connectivity.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
August 29, 2025