‘Separated by a River, Connected by History’: The Role of the Aga Khan Development Network in Fostering Cross-Border Cooperation Along Afghanistan’s Northern Borderlands

Abstract This article examines development initiatives between Tajikistan and Afghanistan to demonstrate how borders can serve as platforms for peace building through cross-border cooperation (CBC). These efforts are enabled by a non-state transnational actor, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), whose philosophy of viewing borders as opportunities addresses the void left by state neglect in a post-conflict context. By funding and implementing projects for border residents, the AKDN enhances local stability while advancing its broader religious agenda. In this context, peace building manifests through economic, medical, and tourist cross-border exchanges that connect communities and highlight the transformative potential of CBC. The CBC approach of the AKDN thus offers a framework that could be emulated in other post-conflict borderlands.