How Sudan's gold mines are funding war despite EU sanctions

Gold has become a key source of funding for Sudan's civil war, with both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) relying on mining revenues to sustain the conflict. Before fighting erupted in 2023, gold was Sudan's biggest export, accounting for more than half of the country's export earnings. Despite the war, gold production has increased, driven largely by artisanal mining in areas controlled by rival factions. Official figures show exports rose from 41 tonnes in 2022 to 64 tonnes in 2024, while most legal shipments are sent to Dubai. Aid group Swissaid estimates that 50 to 70 percent of Sudan's gold is smuggled, and the UN says the RSF earned around $860m from gold production in 2024 alone. As the trade continues to finance the war, more than 14 million people have been displaced in what the UN describes as the world's largest humanitarian crisis. The European Union has banned the purchase, import and transfer of gold from Sudan over concerns the trade is financing the war. The EU has also banned the export of key chemicals used in gold mining.

Al Jazeera's Hamza Mohamed reports. Justin Lynch is the Managing Director of Conflict Insights Group, which has been monitoring the Sudanese gold trade. He says the EU sanctions will not have much impact on the war and could make the situation even worse.

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