Afghan ex-minister now food delivery man

He was once a minister in Afghanistan but quit, fed up with the corruption. Now in Germany, Sayed Sadaat is making a living delivering meals as a bicycle courier.

For six hours on weekdays and from noon to 10pm on Saturdays and Sundays, Sadaat dons his distinctive orange coat and big square backpack, shuttling pizzas or other orders to customers.

“There is no shame in the job at all. Work is work,” he told AFP.

“If there is a job, it means there is public demand... someone has to do it,” he said.

Sadaat is one of thousands of Afghans who have found a home in Germany over the last years.

Since 2015, when Europe saw a huge influx of people fleeing wars mostly from Syria and Iraq, around 210,000 Afghans have sought asylum in Germany.

This makes them the second biggest group of people seeking protection in Europe’s most populous country after Syrians.

With the Taliban’s return to power earlier this month, Germany has also evacuated around 4,000 Afghans, including those who worked with NATO forces and others who need protection.

For private benefit

Sadaat’s journey to Germany was far less harrowing.

He was minister of communications in Afghanistan from 2016 to 2018.

But the 50-year-old said he quit his post because he was fed up with corruption in the government.

“When doing the job as a minister there was a difference between the president’s close circle and myself,” he explained.