TAJIK-AFGHAN BORDER AREAS AS A SOCIO-ECONOMIC and ETHNOCULTURAL CONTACT ZONE

In the modern world, borders are often no longer perceived as a barrier, but, on the contrary, become a contact zone for border regions, engaging nations and peoples, their cultures and economies. Presumably, at present the remoteness of any area from a country’s center does not imply its cultural or economic backwardness; conversely, it most likely offers additional opportunities for economic and socio-cultural development. This article examines the border regions of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, their cooperation and the consequences of these ties for their socio-economic development. The beginning of the post-Soviet period was characterized by weak economic ties between Tajikistan and Afghanistan due to the civil wars that affected both countries at the time. The countries also lacked the transport infrastructure required for cross-border trade and cooperation. Subsequently, through the efforts of the authorities of the two countries and international organizations, these problems began to be resolved. The article’s scientific novelty lies in the analysis of the socio-demographic development of the border areas in Tajikistan and Afghanistan and the identification of the key forms of ethnocultural interaction of the border population. As a result of the study, the authors identify and characterize the forms of socio-economic and ethnocultural contacts that occur through border trade, commercial migration, education and the integration of refugees into the Tajik community. The significant role of these contacts plays a significant role in the life of the population of the border areas, which are cut off from the centers of their countries. First, it is a mutually complementary process that involves obtaining new knowledge and strengthening ties. Secondly, cross-border trade and commercial migration between Tajikistan and Afghanistan play a vital role in the livelihoods of the respective communities and support the development of border regions, contributing to the development of friendly relations between countries and act as effective methods of fighting poverty, creating new jobs and providing income for the population of the border regions. In addition, the study examined the programs and projects of international organizations that contribute to the development and strengthening of border relations between Tajikistan and Afghanistan in the sphere of border trade and strengthening of security. The authors conducted an observation and a survey at the border market, where residents of the neighboring territories of Tajikistan and Afghanistan come together. The observation revealed that for many households, border markets are the only platforms for earning money.