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Political Editor
AN international job placement network for software developers, Andela Talent, recently denied a Zimbabwean man, Mr Michael Nyamande, an opportunity to join the organisation because Zimbabwe is under illegal economic sanctions.
This latest case demonstrates how baneful sanctions imposed by the United States (US) have affected the ordinary citizen contrary to assertions by their proponents, apologists, and beggars, that there are targeted on a few elites.
Andela is a global job placement network for software developers, which focuses on sustainable careers, connecting technologists with long-term engagements, access to international roles, competitive compensation, and career coaching through the Andela Learning Community.
On a national scale, the cost of the unilateral sanctions that were imposed by the US and her Western allies has ballooned to US$100 billion while the price of borrowing is over 1 000 percent higher than the average in most countries.
This has worsened the burden on Government to provide basic social services such as water, health, and education, a mess that has ruined the livelihoods of the country’s populace.
Individuals like Mr Nyamande, apart from having to grapple with the net effect of sanctions on Zimbabwe as a whole, now find the door slammed on them as the Western world seeks to turn the citizens of the country against the constitutionally elected Zanu-PF Government.
In a letter to Mr Nyamande, Andela Network, which has offered opportunities for thousands of global technologists to find work and showcase their talent, made it clear that because of the US sanctions, they could not offer him their services.
“Thank you for applying to the Andela Talent Network. We appreciate your interest in joining us and we want to thank you for the time and energy you invested in applying.
Andela’s products, services, and technologies are subject to the United States economic sanctions regulations and may be subject to US export control restrictions. Andela must comply with sanctions imposed by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). As a result, the Andela Talent Network isn’t available to talent working from countries or territories on the OFAC Sanctions List.
“Based on our records, you may be located in a country or region with restricted access, and we must suspend your application. If you are no longer located in a country or region with restricted access or sanctions are lifted in the future, you may be able to reapply at that time. No grace periods or exceptions are possible”.
Zimbabwe has been under illegal economic sanctions for the past two decades. While the European Union has been removing the illegal embargo, countries like the US and the United Kingdom are seeking to consolidate them in a unilateral move that has been slammed by most of the progressive world.
Towards the end of last year, Professor Alena Douhan, the United Nations Special Rapporteur “on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights in Zimbabwe”, said in her comprehensive findings that the unilateral sanctions imposed against natural and legal persons in Zimbabwe, as well as secondary sanctions and extensive over-compliance by banks and third-country companies, raise serious concerns about their correspondence with international legal standards.
Over compliance on the sanctions has also exacerbated pre-existing social and economic challenges with devastating consequences for the people of Zimbabwe, especially those living in poverty, women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities as well as marginalised and other vulnerable groups.
Online Reporter