Gum Arabic Helps Fund Sudan's War

 The Wall Street Journal published on 23 May 2024 an article titled "How Soda, Chocolate and Chewing Gum Are Funding War in Sudan" by Alexandra Wexler and Nicholas Bariyo.

About 80 percent of the world's gum Arabic, an ingredient in chocolate, chewing gum, and soda, comes from acacia trees in Sudan.  It is being used by both the Sudan Armed Forces and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to help fund the war in Sudan.  In 2022, Sudan exported gum Arabic valued at about $183 million.  During the current harvest season, production has declined but the price has risen.

Comment:  While there are sound reasons to sanction the export of gum Arabic from Sudan, its financial impact is modest compared to the export of gold or financial donations to one side or the other from certain states.

How Gold Fuels the War in Sudan

 Chatham House posted on 15 March 2024 a 35-minute podcast titled "How Gold Fuels the War in Sudan" with Ahmed Soliman, Suliman Baldo, and Denise Sprimont-Vasquez.  

Military business networks controlled by the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are financing much of the cost of war in Sudan, which is the third largest gold producer in Africa after Ghana and South Africa.  An estimated 50 to 80 percent of gold production is smuggled out of Sudan illegally.  It is a critical source of income for both the RSF and SAF.  Neither oil nor gum Arabic, once important foreign exchange earners for Sudan, are significant income sources today.

The RSF controls gold produced at a half dozen locations in Darfur.  Most of the gold smuggled by the RSF through the Central African Republic, Chad, and Libya ends up in the UAE for refining.  Some of it is smuggled out by Russia's Wagner Group.  

The SAF exports its gold through Port Sudan and most of it goes to Egypt.  Before the conflict between the RSF and the SAF, Sudan's gold tended to be handled by the Wagner Group.  

Implications for Conflict in Sudan

 The Cipher Brief posted on 1 May 2023 an interview titled "Fighting in Sudan Has Far-Reaching Implications" with Norman T. Roule, Middle East expert and former CIA.

The author adds some useful comments on the impact of the fighting on oil exports and gum Arabic from Sudan and South Sudan.  

State of Sudan-US Ties

Abu Dhabi's The National carried a story dated 28 November 2017 titled "US and Sudan Rebuild Ties after Decades of Sanctions" by Joyce Karam.

The commentary suggests that the recent thaw in US-Sudan ties is not about resolving every outstanding issue but is rather a recognition that engagement achieves results, whereas decades of sanctions and economic and cultural isolation didn't achieve much.

Sudan Land Ownership, Political Corruption and the Absence of the Rule of Law

The Sudan Democracy First Group published on 20 March 2017 an analysis titled "Land Ownership, Political Corruption and the Absence of the Rule of Law: Land Conflicts in El Dali, Al Mazum and Abu Houjar."

This is a historical and in-the-weeds study of land conflict in three regions of Sudan's Sennar State where some 1.6 million people live. It is aimed at the specialist on Sudan.