Sudan's ongoing conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has resulted in an estimated 200,000 deaths and displaced over 11 million people, pushing parts of the country into hunger and famine.

The United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) reported on Wednesday, July 15th, 2026, that Sudan's warring factions are profiting from control over the country's resources. This "war economy" sustains the conflict by enabling parties to fund military operations through control and exploitation of territory, trade routes, and commodities, contributing to a cycle that has become "increasingly self-perpetuating."

Before the war, Sudan accounted for 70-80% of global crude gum arabic exports. However, in May 2025, the RSF reportedly looted the Gum Arabic Exchange, its warehouses, and part of the local market in El-Nuhud, West Kordofan state, when stocks were full and ready for export. This looting severely disrupted local trade and livelihoods.

UN rights chief Volker Türk emphasized that "Sudan's vast wealth of natural resources should benefit its people," but distressingly, this wealth is currently undermining human rights and fueling conflict, causing widespread suffering.

OHCHR called on the warring parties and corporations involved in Sudanese commodity value chains to ensure compliance with international law. Türk warned, "Companies cannot continue business as usual when sourcing from conflict-affected value chains."

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