Afghanistan and Tajikistan are tied in centuries old historic, cultural, and neighborly relations. The term Afghanistan-Tajikistan refers to the relations between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Republic of Tajikistan, which began in 1992. The areas which form the two countries were once connected, especially during the Samanid, Ghaznavid, and Timurid periods. After a friendship treaty in 1750 between Ahmad Shah Durrani of Afghanistan and Mohammad Murad Beg of Bukhara, the Amu Darya (Oxus River) became the official border of Afghanistan. Language is an important element of culture. Persian language is widely used in both countries, and there are slightly more Tajiks in Afghanistan than Tajikistan.
Afghanistan and Tajikistan share a roughly 1,300-kilometer border, most of which is in rugged terrain and is poorly protected. Currently the porous border between the two countries is a major concern for both governments, as well as the international community. The border is a major route for drugs being smuggled from Afghanistan to Russia and Europe, and as of mid-2009 it appears that drug and insurgent-related violence around the border is increasing, due in part to the increasingly unstable situation in Pak-Afghan border.
In January 2007, with funding from the United States, Afghanistan and Tajikistan opened a bridge over the Pyanj River linking the two countries. Although the goal was to improve trade, the president of Tajikistan expressed concern that it could also increase drug traffic admitting the porosity of the border.
Tajikistan has rich deposits of gold, silver, and antimony. The largest silver deposits are in Sughd Province, where Tajikistan’s largest gold mining operation is located, as well. Russia’s Norilsk nickel company has explored a large new silver deposit at Bolshoy Kanimansur. More than 400 mineral deposits of some 70 different minerals have been discovered in Tajikistan. Natural gas is produced in the Gissar Valley and Vakhsh Valley, oil in both the north and south and brown coal is produced at Shurab in the Leninabad region. Coal exploitation in the country has been a major contributor to the national economy in recent years with output of hard coal increasing by 39% to 31,200 tonnes, and brown coal increasing by 70% to 15,200 tonnes. Mineral exports contribute substantially to the national economy of Tajikistan. According to the 2008 statistics of the World Bank, aluminium contributed about 50% to the national exchequer, with aluminium and cotton accounting for 9% of the gross domestic product.
Tajikistan is an important country and enjoys significant geopolitical position among central Asian countries. Tajikistan with inclusion to Afghanistan also enjoys friendly relationship with Iran. In March 2008, Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan issued a joint communiqué for expanding economic and cultural relations, including improving security.
The bilateral discussion led to several agreements signed between Afghanistan and Tajikistan concerning energy. A $500 million deal was signed in September 2007 to create an energy connection from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan. Both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are trying to develop their potentially vast hydroelectric industry by selling it to South Asia, and an energy link with Afghanistan is seen as the first step in such expansion. Given Tajikistan is a large producer of hydroelectric power, Afghanistan can cash the privilege to compensate its energy requirement from its neighboring country.
In order to embolden the confidence level to the point of no return and bridge their relation by inserting energy and potential President Hamid Karzai, heading a high level delegation, is paying an official two day visit to Tajikistan, responding to the invitation of Tajik premier. This development certainly improves the bilateral relation between the two countries and strengthens multifaceted socio-political ties. There are several agreements signed between two countries and both premieres expressed their readiness to further develop bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries.
There are multiple arenas; the two countries can mutually contribute serving a medication to some of existing issue the two countries are facing at the moment. The two countries can exchange technical expertise and allocate sufficient quotas for students of other at their universities. It is good to hear the premiers of two states talked on bilateral trade and economic ties, combating security threats at joint borders and drug smuggling. They also discussed the regional security situation and other issues of common interest. It worth mentioning, the two countries must bilaterally devise a border security force to curtail the drug and weapon trafficking across the border.
The two leaders discussed issues related to implementing ambitious economic projects and providing regional security as well as bilateral political, economic and educational cooperation, given the dream might not materialize if concrete measures are not taken.
Though a special attention was given to implementation of the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA 100) and the regional project aimed at constructing a railway link connecting Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, yet the roadmap leading to its formal implementation await its fate. Another financial project of enormous importance is the construction of a railway link connecting China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran. This project, at present is controversial, as long as the economic sanction is not lifted from Iran.
Pakistan enjoys an outstanding geopolitical position with whom the two countries can mutually extend trade cooperation. The trilateral trade and transit pact between Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan would promote further development of commerce and trade within Central Asia.
President Karzai succeeded earning Tajik premier’s support to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan with training of personnel for its army as well as social and economic sectors.
The bilateral meetings resulted in signing of four cooperation documents. The sides also signed the government-to-government agreement on demining, the protocol to the government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan and Afghanistan of April 27, 2005 on crossings on the Tajik-Afghan border and the agreement between the Ministry of Finance of Tajikistan and the Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan on insurance cooperation.
It is overwhelmingly said by some analysts that post US withdrawal 2014, the center of militancy and insurgency shifts to central Asian countries. A stronger bond of mutual interest based cooperation can guarantee better security and lengthened relationship between the two neighbors. A joint counter terrorism treaty between the two countries would help restricting the menace of expanding extremism and terrorism that rendered insignificant is not a good omen.