In a new report, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said Sudan’s natural wealth is increasingly fuelling violence rather than benefiting the population. “Sudan’s vast wealth of natural resources should benefit its people. Distressingly, what we are seeing today is anything but that,” said OHCHR Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.
According to the report, all major parties to the conflict are profiting from the gum arabic trade, while communities linked to the industry face threats, looting, extortion and arbitrary detention.
Gum arabic, a natural product harvested from acacia trees, is a key ingredient used in soft drinks, food products, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Before the war began in April 2023, Sudan supplied between 70% and 80% of the world’s crude gum arabic exports, generating up to $183 million annually.
The commodity is produced mainly in Sudan’s so-called “gum belt”, which stretches across Kordofan, Darfur, Blue Nile, White Nile, Sennar and Gedaref states. Millions of Sudanese depend on the sector as a source of income.
The report alleges that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have looted large quantities of gum arabic and diverted trade routes through territories under their control. Stocks reportedly taken from major trading centres in West Kordofan have been redirected through Darfur and neighbouring Chad.
According to OHCHR, traders moving gum arabic through conflict-affected areas face confiscation of goods, informal taxes and insecurity, while alternative routes through South Sudan, Kenya, Chad and Cameroon have emerged to bypass traditional export corridors.
UN investigators said at least 3 700 tonnes of gum arabic were looted between January and June 2024. In some cases, the commodity was reportedly used as compensation for fighters in the absence of salaries.
The report highlights growing concerns about the expansion of smuggling networks linking Sudan to neighbouring countries, where goods are allegedly relabelled before entering international markets.
Gold remains an even more significant source of revenue for the conflict.
According to the UN, gold exports generated approximately $1.6 billion in officially declared export earnings during 2024, accounting for nearly half of Sudan’s total exports. Production in areas controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces reached around 65 tonnes.
However, the report estimates that almost 48% of Sudan’s gold production was smuggled out of the country.
While reliable production figures are unavailable for RSF-controlled territories, gold mining continues in parts of Darfur and Kordofan, including major mining areas such as Jebel Amer and Talodi.
The UN warned that the growing connection between natural resources, armed groups and illicit trade networks is prolonging the conflict and contributing to widespread human rights abuses. “This war economy must be disrupted, and the international community must pay much closer attention to the commodities and trade routes that help keep it alive,” said Shamdasani.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
