A job is a job, says an Afghan minister who became a bicycle courier in Germany

Sayed Sadaat was the Afghan government’s communications minister before escaping to Germany last December in search of a better future. He is now a delivery man in Leipzig’s eastern suburbs.

In a report seen by NCMP on Reuters’s website, he stated that people at home had criticized him for taking such a job after serving in the government for two years and departing in 2018. But, for him, a job is a job today.

“I have nothing to be sorry about,” the 49-year-old British-Afghan dual citizen said, standing next to his bike in his orange attire. He said he quit the Afghan government owing to disagreements with members of the president’s entourage.

“I hope other politicians follow suit, interacting with the public rather than just hiding.”

His story has taken on further importance in light of the domestic upheaval caused by the Taliban takeover. His family and friends want to go as well, either by joining the thousands of others aboard evacuation aircraft or by trying to find other routes out.

With the withdrawal of US troops looming, the number of Afghan asylum seekers in Germany has risen by more than 130 percent since the beginning of the year, according to data from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.

Despite the fact that he had dual citizenship and could have chosen to return to Britain, where he had spent most of his life, he went to Germany at the end of 2020, taking advantage of his last opportunity to do so before Britain’s exit from the European Union.

He chose Germany because he expected it to have a better economic future and a long-term leading position in the telecom and IT sectors.

Despite his qualifications, Sadaat has struggled to find a job in Germany that matches his abilities. Sadaat had intended to work in a similar field after earning degrees in IT and telecoms. His chances were slim since he didn’t speak German.

“The language is the most important component,” Sadaat said.

Every day, he studies German for four hours before starting a six-hour nighttime job delivering meals for Lieferando, which he started this summer.

“The first few days were exciting but challenging,” he said, remembering the difficulties of learning to ride a bike in city traffic.

“The more you get out and meet people, the more you learn,” he says.