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Economic conditions increase "brain drain"

Economic deterioration is forcing many highly qualified Zimbabweans to leave the country to find work abroad, the Central Statistical Office (CSO) in Harare said Tuesday.

According to the CSO, an average of about 300 Zimbabweans emigrate per month. It said that most headed for Australia, Britain, the United States and South Africa. The CSO said that the country lost about 55 architects and engineers, 60 teachers, 21 medical surgeons and 17 bricklayers and carpenters every six months.

Zimbabwe businessmen say that labour migration was hurting the country's already ailing economy by diminishing the supply of locally available skilled labour.


This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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