The European Union has introduced a sweeping ban on the purchase, import, and transfer of gold from Sudan in an effort to choke off a major source of revenue fueling the country’s brutal civil war.
The measures, approved by EU foreign ministers, target the lucrative gold trade that both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have relied on since fighting erupted in April 2023. The conflict has created one of the world’s most severe humanitarian disasters, displacing more than 14 million people.
Sudan ranks among Africa’s top gold producers. Rights organizations and analysts say the country’s gold reserves have become a critical financial lifeline for both warring sides. In response, the EU has also banned the export of mercury and cyanide — two chemicals commonly used in gold processing — to Sudan.
United Nations experts and other observers estimate that between 50% and more than 70% of Sudan’s gold leaves the country through smuggling networks each year. The RSF controls most of the gold-producing areas in Darfur and Kordofan in the west and center of the country, while the army dominates production in the northern and eastern regions.
Much of the smuggled gold is moved through neighboring countries such as Egypt, Chad, and Libya before reaching major trading centers, particularly Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
In a statement, the EU Council described gold as “a key source of revenue sustaining the conflict in Sudan.” The new restrictions are intended to “reduce the resources available to those responsible for perpetuating the violence” and increase pressure on actors prolonging the fighting.
Under the new rules, individuals and companies in the EU are prohibited from buying, importing, or transporting gold that originates in Sudan. Exports of mercury and cyanide for genuine humanitarian or public-health purposes remain exempt.
The gold ban forms part of the EU’s broader sanctions framework, which already includes targeted measures against individuals and entities accused of contributing to the conflict.
Analysts have cautioned, however, that the effectiveness of these sanctions will depend heavily on stronger enforcement by major gold-trading hubs and tighter controls along regional smuggling routes.
The restrictions come amid growing international concern over the war’s impact. Aid agencies estimate that more than 28 million people in Sudan are now facing acute hunger.