War-torn Sudan sees gold mining boom
Sudan produced 70 tonnes of gold in 2025, exceeding its annual production target, the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company (SMRC) has reported.
In a statement published on Facebook on Monday, the state-owned company said gold output reached 113% of the planned target for the year, marking “the highest production level in the past five years.”
The company also reported that total public revenues reached 1.087 trillion Sudanese pounds (about $426 million) in 2025, representing 132% of the annual target.
The figures were presented during a meeting of the company’s board of directors, chaired by Minister of Minerals Nour El-Daem Taha, who praised the company’s performance despite what he described as ongoing challenges. He also encouraged the SMRC to “redouble efforts during 2026 to continue the path of achievements,” while insisting that national mining development projects be incorporated into next year’s plan.
From January to October 2025, the SMRC produced 53 tonnes of gold, which was exported for $909 million.
The high figures were achieved despite the East African nation being engulfed in a brutal civil conflict for more than two years.
Sudan descended into chaos in April 2023 when fighting erupted between the national army (Sudanese Armed Forces, SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This occurred after months of tension between their commanders, army generals Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo ‘Hemedti’, respectively, over a planned transition to civilian rule. What began in the capital, Khartoum, as a power struggle has devastated the country, killing tens of thousands and displacing millions.
Regional and international peace efforts, including African Union mediation and Saudi–US talks in Jeddah, have repeatedly stalled. Sudanese officials have named Colombians and Ukrainians among mercenaries backing the RSF against the army. Officials have also accused Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates of involvement and recently claimed the European Union has an “incomplete understanding of the complex situation” in the country.
Khartoum has also accused authorities in neighboring Kenya of backing the RSF and has broken ties with the East African grouping IGAD amid mistrust of regional mediation. In July, TASIS, a political coalition aligned with the paramilitary, announced the formation of a rival government months after its members signed a charter in Nairobi. It named Gen. Dagalo as chairman of a 15-member presidential council, a move rejected by the UN and AU.
Gold remains one of Sudan’s most valuable commodities, with official figures showing gold exports generating more than $1.5 billion in the first ten months of 2024, despite the ongoing conflict.
“[The minerals sector] has a major role in supporting the state treasury and the national economy, as well as the war effort,” said SMRC director Mohamed Taher Omer, as quoted by the Sudan Tribune.
According to the Swiss agency SWISSAID, official gold exports in 2024 amounted to approximately 22.9–31 tonnes, generating roughly $1.57–1.59 billion in revenue. However, a substantial portion of gold production – estimated between 40% and 70% – was reportedly exported through unofficial channels, outside the formal reporting system.
Several sources stated that the UAE serves as the primary hub for both official and unofficial gold shipments, acting as a key intermediary for Sudanese gold entering global markets.
