EU Bans Sudanese Gold as War Hits Year 3

SUDAN · GEOPOLITICS

Sudan geopolitics is the story of how outside powers, from Washington to the Gulf, pull at a country at war. This guide explains who wants what from Sudan and why it matters to a US reader.

As of 29 October 2026, there is no ceasefire, sanctions keep growing and outside powers hold very different views of the war.

Sudan Geopolitics in Plain English

Sudan has 51.7 million people and a Red Sea coast. Its army and a paramilitary force have fought over it since April 2023.

On 21 April 2026, three years into the war, the European Union’s foreign-policy chief said outside actors must stop fuelling the fighting. Sudan geopolitics is therefore less about who talks and more about who supplies, who sanctions and who votes.

• SAF: the Sudanese Armed Forces, the regular army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, whose government holds Sudan’s seat at the United Nations.
• RSF: the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group and the army’s rival, which Sudan’s foreign minister calls a “terrorist militia”.
• Quintet: an African Union-led group of the AU, the UN, the EU, the regional bloc IGAD and the League of Arab States.
• OFAC: the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the US Treasury unit that freezes the assets of people it sanctions.
• BRICS: a club of 11 large economies, chaired by India in 2026, that gives its members extra weight in world talks.

Where Sudan Sits and What It Is Worth

Sudan borders Egypt, Libya, Chad, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea, and it has a long Red Sea coast. That position puts it next to the shipping lane to the Suez Canal and next to several fragile states.

The World Bank counted 51,662,147 people in Sudan in 2025. Its economy was about US$60.2 billion that year, or about US$1,165 per person.

The economy shrank 29.4% in 2023 and 14.0% in 2024, then grew 3.1% in 2025. Exports of goods and services were about US$664 million in 2025, against imports of about US$769 million.

Those numbers show a small, poor economy that outsiders still compete to influence. Our Sudan guide and the Africa hub for Sudan cover the country itself.

Washington, Sanctions and Visas

The United States sanctions people who destabilise Sudan under Executive Order 14098, signed on 4 May 2023. An older order, 13400 of 26 April 2006, targets the Darfur conflict.

Washington removed Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism on 14 December 2020. Current sanctions target people and firms tied to the war instead.

OFAC listed three people and two companies in Colombia on 17 April 2026, which it called a recruitment network enabling the war. On 26 June 2026 it added five individuals and three entities in Sudan, India and Panama.

The State Department’s advice for Sudan is “Do not travel”. The US embassy in Khartoum suspended operations on 22 April 2023, so Americans there get almost no consular help.

At the UN General Assembly on 28 September 2026, Sudan’s foreign minister, Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim, spoke in place of General al-Burhan. He said the host country had denied the general a visa.

The European Union, Berlin and Gold

In Sudan geopolitics, the European Union has become a steady sanctioner of the war. On 29 January 2026 its Council listed seven more people, five linked to the RSF and two to the army side.

That brought the EU list to 18 individuals and eight entities, all facing asset freezes, and the people also face travel bans. The Council of the EU is the body of member-state ministers that sets these rules.

On 13 July 2026 the Council banned buying, importing or transferring gold from Sudan. It also banned selling mercury and cyanide, chemicals used in gold mining, to Sudan, with exceptions for humanitarian use.

At a conference in Berlin on 15 April 2026, donors pledged EUR 1.5 billion (about US$1.67 billion) in aid. The EU and its member states gave EUR 812 million (about US$905 million) of that.

The EU also wants the UN arms embargo and the International Criminal Court’s mandate widened. Both currently cover only Darfur, the western region, and not the whole country.

The Gulf, Egypt and the Court Case

Sudan took the United Arab Emirates to the International Court of Justice, the UN’s top court, on 5 March 2025. The case concerned the Genocide Convention.

On 5 May 2025 the court rejected Sudan’s request for emergency measures and removed the case from its list. Several judges wrote dissenting opinions, so the ruling did not close the political argument.

At the UN on 28 September 2026, Sudan’s foreign minister urged pressure on “regional sponsors” and some neighbouring states. He said they had created new battle fronts.

Egypt and Ethiopia both border Sudan and are BRICS members, as are the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iran. The African Union-led Quintet also includes the League of Arab States, which links Cairo and the Gulf capitals to the peace effort.

BRICS, Russia, China and India

BRICS lists 11 members: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. Sudan appears on neither the member list nor the partner list on India’s 2026 BRICS site.

Two of Sudan’s neighbours, Egypt and Ethiopia, and two Gulf powers, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, sit in the club. Sudan itself has no seat at that table.

Russia and China hold vetoes on the UN Security Council, alongside the United States, the United Kingdom and France. On 16 October 2026 a UN under-secretary-general, Rosemary DiCarlo, briefed the Council on Sudan, where fighting and drone attacks continue.

India appears in the sanctions record too. OFAC listed an Indian company, SBL Energy Limited of Raipur, in its Sudan action of 26 June 2026.

Gold, Minerals and Money Trails

Resources explain much of the outside interest. On 13 October 2026 a US congressman filed House bill 10795, the Sudan IMPACT Act.

The bill would trade farm and mining equipment for Sudanese minerals. It lists gold, uranium, crude oil, chromium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, silver, nickel and gum arabic.

It would start only after a civilian-led government shows measurable gains in civilian protection, stability and resource governance. Our minerals bill report explains the three tests.

OFAC’s June 2026 list also named Ports Engineering Company Ltd, a state-owned civil engineering firm in Port Sudan. It shows how sanctions now reach businesses tied to the state as well as to fighters.

The Council of the EU says gold is a key source of revenue sustaining the conflict. That is why it targeted gold and mining chemicals.

Our Geneva talks report and refugee report cover the talks and the people who fled.

What Prediction Markets Say

Polymarket, a betting market, gives a Sudan ceasefire by 31 December 2026 a 9.5% chance (29 October, 10:01 a.m. ET). Total trading stood near US$120,000, and the price fell 1.0 point in 24 hours.

For Sudan geopolitics, that price says traders expect no quick truce from outside pressure. The bets follow public news and cannot see private talks.

Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.

What It Means for US Readers

Americans should not travel to Sudan, and US firms must check sanctions before any deal. OFAC general licences of 1 June 2023 cover aid groups, farm goods, medicine and water projects.

Sudan geopolitics now touches business directly, because OFAC and the EU both target the war economy. EU buyers may not import Sudanese gold at all since 13 July 2026.

Sudan sits on the western shore of the Red Sea, the sea route toward the Suez Canal.A House member filed a minerals bill on 13 October 2026 that would reward civilian rule, and it is still in committee.Watch whether lawmakers back it and who Washington accepts as a civilian authority.

What Is Not Known

As of October 2026, it is not known whether the army or the RSF will accept direct talks. It is also not known when a truce could start.

The UN statement of Sudan’s foreign minister names no state as a backer of the RSF. It is not known how Russia and China would vote on any new Security Council text on Sudan.

It is not known whether the EU will widen the arms embargo to the whole country. It is also not known whether the US bill on minerals will reach a vote.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which outside powers matter most in Sudan’s war?

In Sudan geopolitics, the United States, the European Union, the Gulf states, Egypt and Ethiopia matter most. China, Russia and India matter through the UN Security Council and BRICS.

Is Sudan a member of BRICS?

No. The 2026 BRICS chair, India, lists 11 members and 10 partners, and Sudan is on neither list. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are members.

Does the US sanction Sudan?

Yes, but it targets people and firms, not the whole country. Executive Order 14098 of 4 May 2023 is the main tool, and OFAC added names on 17 April and 26 June 2026.

What did the EU do on gold in 2026?

On 13 July 2026 the Council banned buying or importing Sudanese gold. It also banned selling mercury and cyanide to Sudan, with exceptions for humanitarian needs.

Why did Sudan take the UAE to court?

Sudan filed a case at the International Court of Justice on 5 March 2025 under the Genocide Convention. The court rejected emergency measures and removed the case on 5 May 2025.

Can Americans travel to Sudan?

The State Department says “Do not travel to Sudan”. The US embassy in Khartoum suspended operations on 22 April 2023, so consular help is very limited.

Sources: World Bank, World Development Indicators for Sudan (population, GDP, growth, trade), 2026-10-08; US Treasury OFAC, Sudan-related sanctions programmes and Recent Actions of 17 April 2026 and 26 June 2026, 2026-06-26; US Department of State, Sudan Travel Advisory, 2026-10-29; US Congress, H.R. 10795, Sudan IMPACT Act, introduced text (GovInfo), 2026-10-13; Council of the European Union, Sudan: Council sanctions seven individuals, 2026-01-29; Council of the European Union, Sudan: Council strengthens EU sanctions regime by targeting gold trade, 2026-07-13; EU High Representative statement marking three years of war in Sudan, 2026-04-21; International Court of Justice, Sudan v. United Arab Emirates, case 197, 2025-05-05; UN General Assembly, 81st general debate, statement of Sudan, 2026-09-28; UN Security Council, meetings coverage (Sudan briefing of 16 October 2026), 2026-10-16; BRICS India 2026 chairship, members and partner countries, 2026-10-29.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief