By president decree issued on January 21 Rajabali Rahmonali, who had formerly served as First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) also Commander of Border Troops, was appointed to head the Emergencies Committee under the Government of Tajikistan, replacing Rustam Nazarzoda, who was retired for age reasons. 

Rajabali Rahmonali, 57, hails from Danghara district in Khatlon province.  He received his military education at the Higher Military-Political Construction School in Tallinn, Estonia.

In 1992, he joined Tajikistan’s National Army and spent many years serving in the Ministry of Defense. In 20024, he was appointed as Commander of the National Guard, succeeding Ghaffor Mirzoyev.

Rahmonali led the National Guard for nine years before being appointed in 2013 as First Deputy Chairman of the SCNS and Commander of Tajikistan’s Border Troops.

A career marked by challenges on Tajikistan’s borders

His tenure as Commander of the Border Troops coincided with frequent border conflicts in Tajikistan’s northeast and south.

In the south, the challenges came from illegal crossings by smugglers and militants of radical groups from Afghanistan.  Rahmonali often commented on this issue, particularly after the Taliban's rise to power in Afghanistan.  He noted that terrorist groups, largely composed of Central Asian nationals, were stationed near the Tajik-Afghan border.

He emphasized that the protection of Tajikistan's 1,344-kilometer-long border with Afghanistan should not be solely Tajikistan’s responsibility and called on Central Asian countries for greater cooperation.

In the northeast, tensions escalated with Kyrgyzstan.  Armed clashes between the military forces of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan occurred twice, in 2021 and 2022.  Rahmonali played a role as a negotiator in these conflicts, participating in discussions as part of Tajikistan’s government delegation.  While he frequently met with his Kyrgyz counterparts to address border issues, he consistently avoided sharing details of the negotiations with the press.

Concerns about media access under his leadership

Rahmonali is known for avoiding interactions with the media throughout his career. Now, as head of the Emergencies Committee—a department that has traditionally maintained close ties with the press—journalists are concerned that they may face difficulties accessing information under his leadership.

Rahmonali’s leadership skills, honed through years of managing complex border situations, will now be tested in a new capacity.  His predecessor, Rustam Nazarzoda, left a legacy of open communication with the press and efficient management of emergency responses.  It remains to be seen how Rahmonali will approach the role and balance transparency with his preference for avoiding media interactions.