The gold conflict in Sudan: How did the mines become fuel for war and a source of funding for armed groups?

Written by Amna Hassan

The United Nations has confirmed that competition for natural resources, especially gold, remains one of the main factors fueling the ongoing conflict in  Sudan This comes amidst ongoing armed clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces since April 2023.

An independent UN team of experts explained that control of gold mines has become a crucial element in financing military operations and consolidating influence on the ground, complicating efforts to reach a political settlement and end the crisis.

Gold is the lifeblood of war financing.

According to the report of the Panel of Experts submitted to the UN Security Council, the Rapid Support Forces were able to extend their control over a number of gold mines in the Darfur region, which provided them with a steady source of financial revenue, enabling them to purchase weapons and ammunition, pay the salaries of fighters, and strengthen their military and political influence.

The report indicated that the informal gold trade has become one of the main pillars of the continuation of the conflict, as large quantities of the precious metal are extracted and smuggled through complex networks to foreign markets, away from government control, depriving the Sudanese state of huge economic resources.

Darfur at the heart of the competition

Darfur is one of Sudan's richest regions in terms of minerals, particularly gold, making it a major arena for competition among armed groups. UN experts believe that control of the mines not only provides the warring parties with financial gains but also grants them social and political influence within local communities, thus contributing to the prolongation of the conflict.

The report also warned that the continued exploitation of natural resources outside legal frameworks makes it more difficult to stop the war and undermines the chances of building state institutions capable of managing wealth fairly and transparently.

UN warnings of worsening crisis

The United Nations confirmed that the war in Sudan is no longer limited to military confrontations, but has become closely linked to control over economic resources, most notably gold.

She called on the international community to tighten control over mineral smuggling networks and stop the financial flows that fuel the conflict, as well as to support efforts to revive the political process.

Observers believe that ending the conflict in Sudan requires addressing the root causes of the economic crisis and establishing effective mechanisms for managing natural resources to ensure they are not used to finance armed conflicts. They also emphasize that stricter international oversight of the illicit gold trade could be a crucial step in curbing funding sources for armed groups and creating the conditions for a sustainable political settlement that restores stability to the country.