Curse of the Nile’s gold: how Sudan is losing its fertile fields and ability to produce food

AI desk brief

Sudan’s artisanal gold sector has become a major supply engine: in 2024 it accounted for more than 90% of national production, with output around 75 tonnes and revenue of about $1.8bn, or 58% of export value in SAF-controlled areas. The article says gold mining and trading have remained largely unregulated during the war, with both the SAF and RSF involved in controlling mines and smuggling reportedly flowing across the border into Egypt.

Beyond the supply angle, the piece highlights severe local fallout in Abu Hamad, where toxic tailings, mercury and other chemicals have damaged soil and water, slashed crop yields and worsened health outcomes. The article frames Sudanese gold as both a funding source for conflict and a growing environmental and social liability, with no sign of an orderly clampdown on production.