Since soviet times, the border delimitation between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan negotiations have not advanced and nearly half of the one thousand kilometres of the borderline remain undefined. This situation causes a large number of unresolved border-related issues that threaten to undermine the countries' security and developmental gains. To a large extent, these disputes at communities level origin in the argues over access to the natural resources such as irrigation and drinking water, access to pasture and agricultural land and access to old and new infrastructure. Without appropriate confidence and peacebuilding measures at the local community level, risks of community conflicts escalating into broader "inter-ethnic" or interstate conflicts involving security forces would be even higher.

The project goal is to reduce the immediate risk of violent conflict and to contribute to a more conducive environment for the promotion of sustainable peace and Uevelopment in cross-border areas. lt is expected that the peacebuilding interventions will contribute to short-term stabilization and at the same time will prepare the ground for the promotion of sustainable peace.

• The project will work in six geographic village clusters established of villages from both Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. These clusters have been identified as most susceptible to violent conflict. The 6 village clusters represent 13 out of 18 cross-border municipalities. In total, population of village clusters amounts to around 200'000 of which population an the Tajik side is around 140'000
• Municipality staifs, Law enforcement and security bodies, Pasture Commiffees, Water Users Associations, youth and warnen are target groups of the project

• lmproved capacity of cross-border communities and authorities to understand local tensions and identify jointly agreed conflict-mitigating measures. Communities and authorities in pilot village clusters in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will be supported to establish mechanisms for dialogue and joint problem solving
• Cooperation and trust between communities increased towards mitigating risks of renewed violence. The project shall help establish stronger interaction systems between communities and law enforcement bodies. Also the project shall build ties around the restoration, use and maintenance of social intrastructure and cooperate to beffer access and manage natural resources

Expected results:  

• Communities in cross-border areas have access to reliable and balanced information
• Mechanisms tor joint cross-border problem-solving are strengthened
• Improved cooperation linkages between security providers, local authorities and communities
• Communities restore cross-border linkages to jointly manage community infrastructure and natural resources
• Warnen and youth actively participate in the identification and implementation of cross-border initiatives

Results from previous phases:  

In the opening phase, the demand for cross border peacebuilding approaches has been assessed. The following are findings that fed in the project elaboration process run by UNDP:

• Communities indeed require assistance to strive towards peaceful cross-border cooperation and coexistence
• Communities recognize that there is a need to monitor and understand complex local conflict dynamics and undertake consensus building/dialogue, create cross border linkages
• A larger programme with mirror activities on both sides is more effective

UNDP Kyrgyzstan is the contract partner for the Embassy of Switzerland in the Kyrgyz Republic, to implement the Kyrgyz component ot the project.

UNDP Tajikistan is the contract partner for the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan to implement the Tajik component of the project.

Civil Society Organizations will be partners for bilateral component of the project implemented by the Embassy of Switzerland.

GIZ - The GIZ project will support promotion of transboundary watet management between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

NWRMP - Coordination and synergy potentials will be explored and established with the Swiss funded national water resources management projects in TJ and KG.

OSCE - constant coordination an context analysis and situation monitoring.

Phase 1 01.10.2014 - 31.10.2018   (Completed)