Sudan Crisis: UAE and Gold Under Scrutiny – Eurasia Review
Summary of the Article: Sudan’s War Fueled by Gold Trade & UAE Involvement
This article details the devastating ongoing conflict in Sudan, highlighting the immense human cost and the economic factors fueling the war. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
* Brutal Conflict: Sudan is experiencing a horrific civil war marked by weeks of siege, mass killings (visible from space), and attacks on civilians and healthcare facilities. The situation is reminiscent of the Darfur atrocities, with warnings of ethnic massacres and starvation. Over 460 people were killed in a single hospital attack,and less than half of Sudan’s health facilities are functional.
* Gold as a War Economy: The conflict is being financed by Sudan’s gold trade. Since the decline of oil revenue, gold has become a crucial source of income for both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
* UAE’s Central Role: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is heavily implicated in the conflict,accused of supplying weapons to the RSF despite maintaining economic ties with the Sudanese government. The UAE is the primary importer of Sudanese gold, taking in approximately 90% of official exports in the first half of 2025.
* Illicit Gold Flows: Investigations (like those by The Sentry) reveal that Dubai-based companies are laundering illicit Sudanese gold for RSF financiers. Significant gold volumes are also routed through Egypt, Chad, and Libya.
* FATF Gray List & regulations: The UAE was previously on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list due to weak oversight of gold trading and free zones. They were removed after implementing regulations to prevent the import of conflict gold, but recent data suggests continued high volumes of imports from Sudan.
* data & Reports: Data from UN Comtrade shows a significant increase in gold imports from Sudan to the UAE in 2024 (29 tonnes vs.17 tonnes in 2023). Reports from Swissaid and Chatham House confirm the UAE’s role as a major destination for smuggled Sudanese gold and the gold trade’s contribution to sustaining the conflict.
In essence, the article argues that the UAE is a key player in enabling Sudan’s war by providing a market for its “blood gold,” which funds both sides of the conflict.