President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the need to accelerate the introduction of a system allowing border crossings between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan using ID cards. The issue was discussed on October 19 during a meeting with Tajikistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sirojiddin Muhriddin, who arrived in Uzbekistan to participate in a meeting of foreign ministers under the C5+1 format in Samarkand.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the development of friendship, good-neighborliness and the alliance between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It was noted that mutual trade and freight transportation volumes are growing, while joint projects in energy, industry, agriculture and water management have gained momentum.
Mirziyoyev recalled that the borders between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan had previously been closed and that the current level of trade ties and close relations had not existed. Mirziyoyev emphasized the need to accelerate the introduction of ID card-based border crossings between the two countries.
"There is hardly a single family in Uzbekistan or Tajikistan that is not connected to the other side through kinship ties. We must also accelerate the introduction of a system for crossing the border using ID cards. As the volume of freight transport is increasing, there is a real need to resolve this matter," the president stated.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of intensifying exchanges in the cultural-humanitarian, educational and tourism spheres. Tajikistan's Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin stated that President Emomali Rahmon considers the comprehensive development of relations with Uzbekistan one of the priority directions of Tajikistan's foreign policy.
On November 20, 2024, during a session of the Legislative Chamber, Mirziyoyev announced plans to enable citizens of Uzbekistan to travel to and from Kazakhstan and Tajikistan using only an ID card. The president noted at the time that such an arrangement was already in place between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.