Tajikistan

Afghanistan imports a majority of its electricity supplies, and the bills have not been paid.

Both Russia and Pakistan have reportedly urged Tajikistan and the Taliban to cool off their war of words, concerned about conflict on the border.

In late July, a Tajik official said the country had the capacity to accept 100,000 Afghan refugees. Since then, Dushanbe has fallen into the broader, anti-refugee Central Asian line.

In dealing with the situation in Afghanistan, Dushanbe and Tashkent have taken different approaches toward dealing with a Taliban-ruled country.

With Uzbekistan under pressure, those who landed in Termez are being moved to the UAE. Those in Tajikistan are waiting. 

By virtue of geography, Dushanbe is a critical actor in the international community’s ongoing engagement with Afghanistan.

Both countries have been willing to take some Afghan refugees in, but only temporarily. 

After talks with Pakistan’s foreign minister, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon stressed the need for an inclusive Afghan government, particularly including ethnic Tajiks.

How will Central Asian states handle Afghan government forces that have fled as the Taliban take control in Kabul?

Presidential meetings in Central Asia are often dismissed for a lack of concrete results and for their exclusively ceremonial character. But there are good reasons to take the latest meeting seriously.

The Central Asian republics can learn from the experience of Southeast Asia and use the crisis in Afghanistan to spur forward regional cooperation at a time of great power competition.