The European Union has banned imports of gold from Sudan, a move aimed at reducing the flow of money financing the country's protracted conflict. The EU Council stated that the ban and other restrictions are designed to "reduce the resources" available to those perpetuating the violence and "curb sources of financing for the conflict and further increase pressure on those fuelling the war."
Under the new restrictive measures, individuals and companies within the EU are prohibited from purchasing, importing, or transporting gold originating in Sudan. Additionally, exports of mercury and cyanide, chemicals crucial for gold mining, to Sudan are also restricted, though exceptions are made for humanitarian and public health purposes.
According to UN experts and other analysts, a significant portion of Sudan's gold, estimated to be more than half and by some accounts as much as 70% annually, is smuggled out of the country. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) control 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 often trafficked through neighboring countries like Egypt, Chad, and Libya before reaching Dubai, a major global center for gold refining and trade.
"Gold has become a key source of revenue sustaining the conflict in Sudan," the EU Council said in a statement. These latest restrictions expand an existing EU sanctions regime that has already targeted individuals and entities accused of fueling the conflict.
However, experts have cautioned that sanctions alone may not be sufficient to halt the illicit gold trade unless major international gold trading hubs and regional transit routes also strengthen their enforcement against smuggled Sudanese gold. International pressure is mounting on those supporting the conflict, as aid agencies estimate that over 28 million people in Sudan are facing acute hunger.