Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have edged closer to paving the way for a peace deal that will see them hand over disputed border territories, ending a decades long conflict that has strained relations. The deal, announced by Kyrgyzstan’s security chief Kamchybek Tashiev, is major step to stability in Central Asia.
Under the agreement, Kyrgyzstan will receive about 25 square kilometers of land from Tajikistan while receiving both nations a better access to very important water sources. Some contested roads will be classed as neutral from now on so both sides can move freely. In addition, the pact includes measures for expediting access to a canal vital to farming — a major sector in the area.
The border dispute, which goes back to Soviet-era demarcations, has sparked occasional skirmishes, most deadly of which happening in 2022. The deal has come after long talks, including a meeting between Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon at a UN summit last year. 
Affected residents will be relocated upon instructions of the authorities and made to shift smoothly. Upon being sanctioned by both governments the agreement will be translated into a bilateral treaty.
The settlement of this dispute ends a longer-standing conflict and shows a larger regional move to encourage cooperation among Central Asian countries in order to facilitate economic and diplomatic stability.
