Key facts
- The EU has banned the purchase, import, and transfer of gold originating in Sudan.
- The ban aims to reduce the financing available to warring parties in Sudan's civil war.
- Exports of mercury and cyanide, chemicals used in gold mining, to Sudan are also banned.
- The RSF and the Sudanese army control different gold-producing regions.
- Illicit Sudanese gold is often trafficked through neighboring countries to Dubai.
The European Union has implemented a ban on the purchase, import, and transfer of gold from Sudan, identifying the trade as a significant source of funding for the country's ongoing civil war. The conflict, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, displacing over 14 million people.
Sudan is a major gold producer in Africa, and its gold reserves have become a critical revenue stream for both warring factions, according to rights groups. The EU's foreign ministers approved these measures, which also include a ban on exporting mercury and cyanide to Sudan, chemicals essential for gold mining operations.
Analysts and UN experts estimate that a substantial portion of Sudan's gold, between 50% and 70% annually, is smuggled out of the country. The RSF reportedly controls most of the goldfields in the Darfur and Kordofan regions, while the Sudanese army oversees production in the northern and eastern parts of the country. This gold is frequently trafficked through neighboring nations like Egypt, Chad, and Libya before reaching Dubai, a major global center for gold refining and trading.
The EU Council stated that gold has become a key revenue source sustaining the conflict and that the ban and other restrictions are designed to diminish the resources available to those prolonging the violence. The new measures prohibit EU individuals and companies from engaging in any transactions involving gold originating from Sudan. However, exports of mercury and cyanide for humanitarian and public health purposes are exempt from the ban.
These restrictions are an extension of the broader EU sanctions regime already in place against individuals and entities accused of fueling the conflict. Despite these efforts, experts caution that the trade may persist unless major international gold trading hubs and regional transit routes enhance their enforcement against illicit Sudanese gold.