This article examines the activities of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Tajikistan from 1993 to 2025, with particular emphasis on the role of its field operation in the regulation of the internal conflict and in subsequent post-conflict rehabilitation and state-building processes. The research problem focuses on assessing the scope and effectiveness of the OSCE’s engagement in stabilizing the post–civil war environment, as well as on tracing the evolution of the mission’s mandate and functions in response to changing security conditions. The study adopts a qualitative case study approach, supported by institutional and legal analysis and a critical review of academic literature and official OSCE documents. The findings indicate that although the OSCE was unable to exercise a significant preventive role prior to the outbreak of the conflict, its long-term presence contributed to sustaining political dialogue, monitoring human rights, and supporting gradual institutional and democratic reforms. The article highlights the transformation of the OSCE operation in Tajikistan from a resource-limited mediation mission into a multidimensional instrument addressing security sector reform, border management, governance, and human security. At the same time, it identifies structural constraints on the organization’s effectiveness, resulting from domestic political conditions in the host state and the complexity of evolving regional security challenges. The case of Tajikistan illustrates both the adaptability of OSCE field operations and the inherent limitations of external engagement in post-conflict environments characterized by authoritarian governance.
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