elpais.com
Sudan's Gold Rush Fuels Civil War
Sudan's civil war has caused its economy to collapse, but gold production has boomed, exceeding 64 tons in 2024 in army-controlled areas; both the army and the paramilitary RSF use gold to fund their war efforts, with much of the gold ending up in the UAE despite the army's criticism of the UAE's support for the RSF.
- What is the immediate economic impact of Sudan's civil war, and how is gold production shaping the conflict?
- Sudan's two-year civil war has decimated its economy, shrinking by 12% in 2023 and over 18% in 2024. However, gold production has surged, exceeding 64 tons in 2024 in army-controlled areas, compared to 23 tons in 2023. This increase fuels the war effort for both sides.
- How do the RSF and the Sudanese army utilize gold revenue, and what is the role of companies like Al Junaid and Emirati investors?
- The conflict has drastically increased the importance of gold, providing crucial funding for both the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF, linked to the Dagalo family, controls gold-rich regions and uses a network of companies, including the sanctioned Al Junaid, to export gold, largely to the UAE. The army also profits from gold, with over $1.5 billion in revenue in 2024, accounting for half of its official exports.
- What are the long-term implications of Sudan's gold trade, particularly its relationship with the UAE, considering the ongoing conflict and the large amount of undeclared gold exports?
- The UAE's role is complex: it receives the vast majority of Sudanese gold, yet the Sudanese army criticizes the UAE for supporting the RSF. This highlights a conflict of interest, with the army using gold revenue to fund its fight against the RSF while simultaneously relying on the UAE for economic support. The unaccounted-for gold trade, potentially exceeding 180 tons between 2012 and 2023, further complicates the situation.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article frames the narrative around the illicit gold trade as a significant factor in fueling the Sudanese conflict. While this is supported by evidence, the emphasis on the Dagalo family and RSF's activities, including their links to the UAE, might overshadow other crucial aspects of the conflict, such as political and ideological motivations. The headline (if one were to be created) might read something like "Sudan's Gold Rush Fuels Brutal Civil War," which directly highlights the gold trade as a primary driver, potentially downplaying other contributing factors. The placement of details, prioritizing the Dagalo family's actions early in the article, reinforces this emphasis.
Language Bias
The article maintains a relatively neutral tone, using factual language and avoiding loaded terms when presenting the actions of the various actors. There are some instances of implicitly critical language, such as describing the RSF's actions as 'saqueando' (plundering) and characterizing the gold trade as 'opaca' (opaque), but this is generally consistent with the gravity of the events described. The use of phrases such as "agujero sin declarar" (undeclared hole) is descriptive and avoids overly charged language.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the role of the Dagalo family and the RSF in gold trading and its financing of the war, but provides less detail on the involvement of other actors, such as specific companies linked to the Sudanese army, beyond mentioning a state mining company and the general involvement of army-linked and Islamist entities. The exact mechanisms and scale of gold trading by these other actors remain largely unexplored. While acknowledging undeclared gold production, the article doesn't delve deeply into the methods used to hide this production or the specific routes used for smuggling. This omission could limit the reader's understanding of the full scope of the problem.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a somewhat simplified picture by focusing primarily on two main actors (the RSF and the Sudanese army) in the gold trade, potentially neglecting the complexities and involvement of other significant players or groups within Sudan's conflict. The narrative implicitly frames the situation as a conflict between these two forces over gold, without fully exploring other potential motivations or dimensions of the conflict.
Sustainable Development Goals
The conflict in Sudan has led to a flourishing war economy based on gold, exacerbating existing inequalities. The profits from this trade primarily benefit the warring factions (the military and the Rapid Support Forces), and powerful families like the Dagalo, further enriching the elite while the majority of the population suffers from economic devastation. The massive unreported gold exports also indicate a lack of transparency and accountability, hindering equitable resource distribution.