UN: Sudan's war economy fuels self-perpetuating conflict
The UN human rights office says Sudan's warring factions profit from resource control, sustaining a conflict that has become increasingly self-perpetuating.
The United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) said on Wednesday that Sudan's warring factions are profiting from control over the country's resources, with the "war economy" helping to sustain the conflict. To fund the growing cost of military operations, the parties rely on controlling and exploiting territory, trade routes and commodities, contributing to a conflict that has become "increasingly self-perpetuating."
The war between Sudan's regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted in April 2023. It has killed 200,000 people by some estimates and displaced upwards of 11 million, while thrusting several areas into hunger and famine.
OHCHR called on the parties to the war, and corporations involved in the value chain of Sudanese commodities, to ensure compliance with international law. "Sudan's vast wealth of natural resources should benefit its people," said UN rights chief Volker Türk. "Distressingly, what we are seeing today is anything but that. In fact, this wealth is only serving to undermine human rights and drive conflict, bringing pain and suffering on an enormous scale."
The report focused on the trade in gum arabic, a key ingredient in soft drinks, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Sudan accounted for 70-80% of global crude gum arabic exports before the war. Although modest in export value compared with other commodities, it is an important income source for millions of Sudanese. However, the report found that many who depend on the gum arabic trade have faced looting, extortion, arbitrary detention and threats, particularly at the hands of the warring parties and their allies.
In May 2025, the Gum Arabic Exchange and its warehouses, plus part of the local market in El-Nuhud in West Kordofan state, were reportedly looted by the RSF when stocks were full and ready for export. This severely disrupted local trade and livelihoods. Türk urged countries to strengthen accountability, traceability and regulatory oversight and respect human rights. "Companies cannot continue business as usual when sourcing from conflict-affected value chains," he said.
