The European Union bans imports of Sudanese gold to cut off funding for the war

EU foreign ministers have adopted a ban on the purchase, import and transfer of gold from Sudan, whose reserves are fueling both sides in a conflict that has displaced more than 14 million people since April 2023.

Sudanese gold is now subject to a European embargo. The EU Council has approved a series of restrictive measures aimed at cutting off a source of revenue deemed crucial for the warring parties in the conflict between the Sudanese regular army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary militia, which has been ongoing since April 2023.

Sudan is among the largest gold producers on the African continent. The Sudanese Revolutionary Forces (SRF) control the majority of the deposits in Darfur and Kordofan, in the west and center of the country, while the army oversees mining operations in the north and east. According to United Nations experts, more than half of the national production, and up to 70% according to some estimates, is smuggled out of the country each year.

The trafficking routes generally pass through neighboring countries, Egypt, Chad and Libya, before ending up in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, a global hub for refining and trading precious metals.

“Gold has become a key source of income that fuels the conflict in Sudan,” the EU Council said in a statement, adding that the restrictions aimed to “reduce the resources” available to those perpetuating the violence. European companies and citizens are now prohibited from buying, importing, or transporting gold of Sudanese origin.

The embargo includes a ban on exporting mercury and cyanide to Sudan, two chemicals commonly used in gold mining. An exemption is provided for humanitarian and public health uses.

These new measures complement an existing European sanctions regime that targets individuals and entities accused of fueling the conflict. Experts warn, however, that sanctions alone will not be enough to stem the illicit trade unless major international trading hubs and regional transit routes strengthen their own controls over Sudanese gold.

The war has triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. More than 28 million people are facing acute hunger in Sudan, according to international aid organizations, while diplomatic pressure mounts on external backers of both sides to disengage from the conflict.