The presidency of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has passed to Tajikistan starting January 1, 2025. In 2024, Russia held the presidency of the organization.
Tajikistan’s President, Emomali Rahmon, has stated that he will strengthen cooperation between the CIS countries in combating security threats.
Before Tajikistan assumed the presidency of the CIS, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met on Tuesday, December 24, in Leningrad. During the meeting, they discussed technical and military cooperation, as well as the situation in Afghanistan.
Sergey Lebedev, the CIS Secretary-General, announced in November this year that the union supports the proposal to create a security belt around Afghanistan. Lebedev expressed hope that this initiative would help reduce the activities of terrorist groups in the region.
The concept of creating a security belt around Afghanistan was first proposed by President Emomali Rahmon during a special session of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in October 2022. At that time, he emphasized the need for such a security belt to prevent potential risks and dangers emanating from Afghanistan.
The initiative to establish a security belt underscores the growing concerns of the CIS countries regarding the instability in Afghanistan. With the withdrawal of international forces and the continued presence of extremist groups, regional security has become a significant challenge. This plan aims to bolster collective security and prevent the spillover of terrorism into neighboring countries.
As Tajikistan takes over the CIS presidency, it is expected to prioritize regional security and counter-terrorism efforts, especially in light of the volatile situation in Afghanistan. The collaboration between member states will be crucial in addressing the evolving security threats that continue to destabilize the region.
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Moldova are members of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The CIS was established after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, with the aim of fostering political, economic, and security cooperation.
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