November 25, Nairobi — Sudan’s gold exports generated $1.5 billion in revenue in the first ten months of 2024. Since the war began in April 2023, gold has become a critical source of income for Sudan.
Mohamed Taher Omer, director of the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company, the government body overseeing gold production, told the Sudan Tribune last week that the country’s gold exports through official channels continue to rise and are supporting the war effort. The administration has also struggled to control illegal gold smuggling.
Around 2 million people work in artisanal mining in Sudan, often in harsh conditions. Sudan is reportedly the second-largest producer of gold in Africa and the ninth in the world. Gold mines are located across Sudan, including in Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile states.
Meanwhile, workers and traders at the Tagro gold mine in North Darfur recently told Darfur24 that there is a severe cash liquidity crisis at the mine, which led to a drop in gold prices. Artisanal miners are currently finding it extremely difficult to sell the gold.
Omer said that gold production in Darfur is no longer the control of the Sudanese government at the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized most of the region.
In September it was reported that a Russian delegation visiting Sudan were in talks with officials about starting gold extraction from multiple sites in the country. In June, an agreement for gold exploration and extraction was signed between Sudan’s Ministry of Minerals and the Russian company Zarubezhgeologiya.