For over two years, a brutal civil war has been tearing Sudan apart, but behind the violence and displacement lies a fierce struggle for the nation's vast natural riches. Foreign powers are vying for control of Sudan's gold, fertile farmland, and strategic coastline, turning a national conflict into an internationalized scramble for resources.
The Battle for Land and Sea Corridors
The conflict, raging since April 2023 between the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), escalated dramatically in recent weeks. This followed the RSF's capture of the major Darfur city of El-Fasher at the end of October. According to regional experts, the army receives backing from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey, while the RSF relies on the patronage of the United Arab Emirates. Officially, all these parties deny providing direct support in a war that has killed tens of thousands, displaced nearly 12 million people, and triggered one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises.
The vast swathes of fertile farmland in Sudan, Africa's third-largest country, have long whetted the appetite of Gulf nations. Before the war, Emirati businesses controlled tens of thousands of hectares, with agricultural products forming a major part of Sudan's pre-war exports to the UAE. Saudi Arabia and Qatar had also negotiated massive agricultural investments prior to the 2019 coup that ousted President Omar el-Bashir.
Simultaneously, Sudan's coastline along the Red Sea presents a crucial strategic prize. This corridor, through which 10 to 12 percent of globally shipped goods flow, offers the prospect of influencing worldwide maritime traffic and trade. Besides the UAE, both Russia and Turkey have attempted to secure port concessions or naval bases in Sudan, though these negotiations have either failed or been paused.
Foreign Patronage and Supply Routes
Soon after the conflict began, the army-backed government severed relations with the UAE, accusing it of siding with the RSF. The army insists the UAE has sent weapons and hired mercenaries through Chad, Libya, Kenya, or Somalia to fight alongside the paramilitaries—claims Abu Dhabi denies.
Evidence, however, suggests otherwise. In May, Amnesty International published an investigation with photos of bomb debris indicating the UAE had supplied the RSF with Chinese weapons. From the war's outset, Amdjarass airport in eastern Chad acted as a key hub for UAE cargo planes flying supplies to the RSF in Darfur, according to UN reports.
More recently, separatist-controlled eastern Libya has become the main Emirati supply route. Since June, well over 200 military cargo flights have landed in eastern Libya, presumably delivering weapons to the RSF, according to researcher Emadeddin Badi. The region's leader, Khalifa Haftar, whose administration enjoys UAE patronage, has also been a key fuel supplier to the RSF throughout the war, a report by The Sentry found.
Gold: The Economic Engine of War
Following South Sudan's independence in 2011, which took with it the largest oil fields, gold became central to Sudan's economy. Before the war, Sudan produced just over 80 tonnes of gold annually, exporting $2.85 billion worth in 2021. Official production has since plummeted, with underground mining and trafficking networks taking over.
A recent Chatham House study stated that economic competition between the army and the RSF in gold mining and trade was a leading driver of the war. Whether the gold comes from the army via Egypt or from the RSF via Chad, South Sudan, or Libya, much of it ultimately ends up in Dubai. The Swiss NGO Swissaid reports that the UAE imported 70 percent more gold from Sudan in 2024, on top of the many tonnes purchased from neighbouring countries.
This illicit gold trade not only bankrolls the conflict, financing fighter loyalty and weapons purchases, but it also gives multiple stakeholders a clear economic interest in its continuation.
The Technological Battlefield and Foreign Mercenaries
The technological dimension of the war is equally complex. Along with Iran, Turkey has supplied the Sudanese army with long-range drones, which were instrumental in the recapture of the capital Khartoum from the RSF in March. However, their effectiveness has waned in recent months as the RSF strengthened its air defences.
In turn, the army has accused the UAE of sending drones, including Chinese-made models, to the paramilitaries. Adding to the internationalization of the conflict, the RSF has recruited a contingent of foreign mercenaries from Russia, Syria, Colombia, and Sahel countries, further complicating the path to peace.
As the war drags on, the scramble for Sudan's resources continues to fuel the violence, leaving its people caught in a devastating crisis driven by external interests and internal rivalries.
