As part of the ongoing state border demarcation process, two villages previously under the jurisdiction of Uzbekistan have been officially transferred to Kyrgyzstan. The announcement was made by Askat Alagozov, the press secretary for the President of Kyrgyzstan, via his personal Facebook page.
The territorial adjustment affects the villages of Chongara and Tash-Tobo, which were formerly administrative parts of Uzbekistan's Fergana region. According to Alagozov, these settlements are predominantly inhabited by ethnic Kyrgyz, numbering roughly 2,500 residents.
"Civil registration procedures will now be initiated in these villages. Once completed, the residents will be granted citizenship of the Kyrgyz Republic. In exchange for these settlements, the Kyrgyz side has transferred parcels of border land of equal size to the Republic of Uzbekistan," the presidential press secretary explained, though he did not specify the exact locations of the exchanged plots.
In a separate agreement, the two nations also swapped equal parcels of land totaling 236 hectares to facilitate the construction of a new highway connecting the villages of Say and Tayan.
Alagozov highlighted that this particular infrastructure upgrade will dramatically improve transit logistics for residents of the Batken region. Travelers driving from Aidarken to Batken via Say and Tayan will soon cover a distance of just 55 kilometers, bypassing the current, grueling 225-kilometer detour.
He also announced that Kyrgyzstan has submitted a proposal to Kazakhstan to exchange equivalent land parcels regarding an 800-meter section of road near the city of Tokmok. According to him, the implementation of this project would pave the way for a new 150-kilometer toll highway stretching from Almatinskaya Street all the way to the city of Kemin.
Territorial exchange background
In 2022, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan successfully resolved a series of long-standing territorial disputes by signing landmark agreements concerning their shared border and the joint management of the Andijan (Kempir-Abad) reservoir.
The treaty on specific sections of the state border successfully defined a 302.29-kilometer boundary line, which encompassing 35 distinct sectors of the Uzbek-Kyrgyz border.
Under these negotiated terms, Uzbekistan secured 4,957 hectares of land encompassing the Andijan reservoir, along with an additional 19.5 hectares dedicated to the maintenance and security of its dam. In return, Kyrgyzstan received 1,019 hectares of pastureland as compensation.
Furthermore, Kyrgyzstan was granted 12,849 hectares of land in the Gavasay sector. This transfer served as compensation for the unconstructed Kempir-Abad canal, which was originally planned for the left bank of the Andijan reservoir.
The Andijan reservoir was constructed in 1983. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the facility became a major flashpoint for territorial friction between the two independent nations. The Uzbek-Kyrgyz border routinely experienced periodic skirmishes over the years, largely driven by disputes over vital water resources.
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