Dushanbe, Tajikistan, July 30, 2021 – United States Chargé d’Affaires John Ginkel and Colonel Saodatzoda Rajab, Deputy Commander of Tajikistan’s Border Guard Forces, attended the handover ceremony of a $570,000 border outpost renovation for the Border Guard Forces under the State Committee of National Security of the Republic of Tajikistan. The border outpost provides the Border Guard Forces with increased capacity to monitor and patrol the border with Afghanistan in the Shahritus region of Khatlon province. The facility will significantly increase the Border Guard Forces ability to monitor and interdict illegal border crossings (across an approximate 15–20-kilometer range), and counter transnational threats including narco-trafficking, smuggling, and violent extremism.
The United States remains committed to partnering with Tajikistan in support of its sovereignty, security, and role in supporting long-term peace and prosperity in Afghanistan. Since 2007, the U.S. Office of Military Cooperation’s Counter-Narcotics Program has provided over $155 million in assistance to Tajikistan, including renovating or building multiple border outposts.
The United States has partnered with Tajikistan for 30 years and has provided more than $1.8 billion in development and assistance through programs that support Tajikistan’s private sector, agriculture, health, education, democratic institutions, and security.
