Looted gum arabic and gold fuelling RSF in Sudans civil war says UN report

Looted gold and gum arabic are fuelling the civil war in Sudan, according to UN experts.

An unpublished report submitted to the UN Security Council and seen by Bloomberg said the war between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) is “supported by illicit economic activities, including the looting of resources like gum arabic and gold”.

The report said that RSF commanders in Darfur “condoned” the looting of gum arabic to ensure the loyalty of their fighters.

Gum arabic, an organic emulsifier derived from the sap of acacia trees, is a major ingredient in a range of products, including big soft drink brands as well as soap, medicine, sweets and cosmetics.

Around 70 percent of the world's supply comes from Sudan, where the trees grow in a 518,000 sqkm belt across the south of the country, a region largely controlled by the RSF, according to Bloomberg.

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The latest UN report cited traders saying $14.6m worth of gum arabic was looted by the RSF between January and June last year.

It said an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 tonnes passed into Chad alone in 2024.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a brutal civil war between the RSF and the SAF.

The country has fallen into a humanitarian crisis, with 12.5 million Sudanese displaced from their homes, according to UNHCR. Many thousands are estimated to have been killed.

The RSF has been accused of widespread sexual assault, looting, torture and the summary execution of civilians, while the SAF has also been criticised for indiscriminate bombing campaigns.

Amnesty International published a report this week saying the RSF had inflicted widespread sexual violence on women and girls, including rape, gang rape and sexual slavery.

The report documented sexual violence against 36 women and girls - some as young as 15 - between April 2023 and October 2024.

It was based on interviews of survivors and their relatives in Ugandan refugee camps. Amnesty said the acts amounted to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.

The RSF has repeatedly denied involvement in the looting or smuggling of gum arabic.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the RSF's largest backer, with evidence indicating that it has continued to supply the paramilitary group with weapons throughout the war, despite the atrocities it commits.

On Thursday, Sudan accused the UAE of complicity in genocide at a hearing before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), citing its support for the RSF.

Sudan said the alleged genocide against the Masalit, a Black African community, in Darfur by the RSF would not be possible without UAE support.

Khartoum laid out its oral argument as part of a public hearing into its case, accusing the UAE of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention.

Last year, an independent inquiry carried out by the Raoul Wallenberg Centre found there is “clear and convincing evidence” that the RSF and its allied militias “have committed and are committing genocide against the Masalit”. 

West Darfur state was the site of intense ethnic-based attacks by the RSF and its allied Arab militias against the Masalit in 2023. 

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