Key facts
- Newly issued Sudanese pounds are circulating in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
- The RSF has established a parallel government and central bank system.
- The army-led government declared old Sudanese pounds invalid and issued new notes in 2024.
- Cash scarcity in RSF-held areas eased with the circulation of new, unused notes dated May 2022.
- The origin of the new notes is undetermined, but they appear to be newly printed and bear the signature of the RSF-appointed central bank head.
Newly issued Sudanese pounds have begun circulating in territory controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a development that raises questions about the source of the currency and could deepen the country's de facto division. The RSF, which has controlled significant parts of Sudan since the war began in April 2023, has established a parallel government and sought to assume state functions, including salary payments.
Control over Sudan's currency has been a point of contention since the army-led government declared old Sudanese pounds invalid and began issuing new notes in 2024. The RSF declared these new notes invalid, leading to cash scarcity in areas under its control. However, this scarcity appeared to ease in late May when civil servants and RSF fighters were paid with new, unused Sudanese pound notes dated May 2022. These notes bear the signature of Hussein Yahia Jangol, who was recently appointed head of a new Tasis-run central bank.
Reuters could not determine the exact source of the notes, though a banker in Nyala described them as newly printed. Tasis Prime Minister Mohamed Hasan al-Taishi stated that cash management arrangements were based on technical plans to maintain economic stability and meet citizens' needs. He also accused the army-led government of harming civilians by changing the currency and using it as a tool of war. The army-aligned central bank did not respond to requests for comment.
Experts suggest the RSF may face challenges gaining international recognition for its parallel central bank system, as many countries would be reluctant to accept such a system. However, the RSF is proceeding due to a pressing need to resolve liquidity issues. With cash in short supply, many Sudanese have turned to online payment apps, though high fees can make them more expensive than cash. A rival transfer service, Future Bank, has also emerged and was used to pay some salaries. The Sudanese pound has significantly devalued since the war began, trading at over 5,000 pounds to the dollar.