UAE’s gold imports from Sudan see major increase

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) sharply increased its gold imports from Sudan in 2024 despite the ongoing civil conflict in the African nation, as reported by The New Arab via AFP on November 4th.

According to a report by the non-governmental organisation Swissaid, the Gulf country is “a global hub for gold of dubious origin,” raising concerns over the ethics and purpose of its growing trade ties with conflict-affected regions.

Data published on October 31st in the United Nations Comtrade database, which was later removed from the platform, showed that the UAE imported 29 tonnes of Sudanese gold in 2024, a 70 percent rise from 17 tonnes the previous year.

The UAE also sourced additional gold from Chad and Libya, which the NGO characterised as “exit points” for gold controlled by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The RSF has been engaged in a brutal conflict with Sudan’s army since April 2023, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and forcing millions from their homes. The war has devastated Sudan’s economy and led to widespread reports of illicit gold mining and smuggling, activities that have become crucial sources of funding for armed groups.

The UAE’s extensive imports of Sudanese gold appear closely intertwined with its backing of the RSF, the paramilitary group fighting Sudan’s army. Reports from Middle East Eye and agencies as well as UN investigators suggest that revenues from Sudan’s gold trade finance the RSF’s operations.

The UAE has been accused of providing financial and logistical support to the group, with satellite imagery indicating that Emirati military facilities in Yemen, Somaliland, and Puntland may be used to channel weapons and ammunition to RSF forces.

While Abu Dhabi denies these claims, insisting its regional activities are humanitarian in nature, the UAE’s trade in Sudanese gold and its alleged arms transfers both serve its broader aim of projecting influence and securing access to strategic resources in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea corridor.

Swissaid said that trade patterns “confirm the UAE’s role as a major destination for smuggled Sudanese gold.” But in addition to the Sudanese imports, the UAE reportedly purchased 748 tonnes of gold from across Africa in 2024, an 18 percent increase from 2023.

The UAE was also cited as a major buyer of Russian gold, valued at $5.4 billion in 2024, which Swissaid said contributes to financing the war in Ukraine. The U.S. has called out Russia’s role in the conflict in Sudan, signifying that because Russia is buying Sudanese gold, it is fuelling the civil war there. Yet the Trump administration has failed to recognise the role that the UAE has in funding the conflicts in Sudan and Ukraine.

The surge in the UAE’s gold imports can be partly explained by broader global economic trends. In the wake of the post-COVID inflationary period and amid growing fears of a global recession, investors and governments alike have increasingly turned to gold as a safe asset.

The appeal for gold has been further strengthened by concerns over the weaponisation of the U.S. dollar,  a trend accelerated by President Donald Trump’s use of financial sanctions and trade measures during his administration. As confidence in dollar-based systems wavers, countries across the world, such as the UAE, have sought to expand their gold reserves and trade networks to hedge against currency volatility and geopolitical uncertainty.

The New Arab via AFP, Middle East Eye and agencies, Maghrebi.org