Imangali Tasmagambetov, Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), met with Emomali Rahmon, President of Tajikistan, on Friday, 11 April, in Dushanbe to discuss measures aimed at enhancing border security with Afghanistan.

According to a statement released by the CSTO, the discussions focused in particular on the Targeted Interstate Programme — a joint initiative by CSTO member states designed to strengthen the security of Tajikistan’s southern border. The border with Afghanistan is considered a critical front in regional counterterrorism and stability efforts.

During his visit, Tasmagambetov also held separate talks with Emomali Sobirzoda, Tajikistan’s newly appointed Minister of Defence, to further address security collaboration.

The CSTO Secretary-General had earlier announced that the border reinforcement initiative would begin in 2025 and would consist of specific strategic measures aimed at safeguarding the interests and security of CSTO member countries. The programme is structured in three phases and will be implemented over a five-year period.

In parallel with these high-level talks, joint Russian-Tajik military exercises were conducted near the Afghan border in recent days. The drills, held at a military training ground in Tajikistan, focused on combat readiness and counterterrorism operations in mountainous terrain. The Russian Ministry of Defence reported that the exercise involved the deployment of Orlan-10 drones, tanks, artillery units, and Mi-24 attack helicopters.