United Kingdom has unveiled a fresh round of sanctions targeting individuals and commercial networks accused of profiting from Sudan’s lucrative gold trade and using the proceeds to finance the country’s devastating civil war, as international concern mounts over the worsening humanitarian crisis and the growing threat of renewed large-scale violence.
The measures target the financial infrastructure that fuels the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The sanctions target eleven Sudanese individuals and businesses accused of playing major roles in procurement networks, illicit financial activities, and the international gold trade, which has become a vital source of funding for both sides of the conflict.
According to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, “the people of Sudan continue to pay the price for a war fuelled not only by guns and fighters, but by illicit flows of gold and finance to fill the war chests on both sides.”
“These sanctions are targeting Sudan’s war economy and they will shine a light on those who seek to profit from these illegal shadow networks.”
Yvette Cooper
Sudan possesses one of the continent’s largest gold reserves, and before the outbreak of war the precious metal was among the country’s most valuable exports. Although official figures estimate that gold exports generated approximately US$1.5 billion during 2024 and 2025, the UK government believes the actual value of the sector is significantly higher because vast quantities are smuggled out of the country through illicit channels before entering international markets.
According to British authorities, billions of dollars’ worth of Sudanese gold leave the country every year outside official export systems, creating a shadow economy that finances military operations, facilitates weapons procurement and strengthens the financial position of rival armed groups.
The latest sanctions package seeks to expose and disrupt those commercial networks by targeting businesses and intermediaries operating beyond Sudan’s borders, particularly in international trading hubs.
Among those sanctioned is Sudanese national Abu Dharr, whom British authorities describe as a prominent financier and procurement facilitator for the Rapid Support Forces. Officials allege that he has helped sustain RSF operations through an extensive network of real estate investments, holding companies and conflict-related gold trading activities based in Dubai.
The UK government believes huge volumes of Sudanese gold continue to be monetised through regional trading centres before being incorporated into global supply chains, making offshore financial hubs a vital gateway for income produced by the illicit gold trade.
By focusing on corporations and facilitators operating internationally including enterprises with links to gold markets in Dubai and Hong Kong the sanctions aim to disrupt the commercial mechanisms that convert Sudan’s mineral wealth into financial resources capable of supporting the conflict.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of an increasingly dire humanitarian situation inside Sudan, where more than three years of fighting have displaced millions of people, devastated critical infrastructure and triggered one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies.
International organisations have repeatedly warned that both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces have been implicated in serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.
The latest British action also follows growing international concern over the expansion of Sudan’s wartime economy, with recent United Nations reports warning that commodities such as gold and gum arabic have become deeply embedded in financial networks that prolong the conflict and undermine prospects for peace.
Britain Warns El Obeid Could Become Next Humanitarian Catastrophe
Along with the new penalties, the British government issued one of its most severe warnings yet about the deteriorating security situation in El Obeid, where international observers fear a major escalation in conflict may result in another humanitarian disaster.
According to officials, the Rapid Support Forces are increasing their presence in the strategically important city, which is already under tremendous humanitarian strain due to months of conflict and disruptions to essential services.
United Kingdom has warned that El Obeid is at risk of becoming the site of another mass catastrophe, comparable to the violence in El Fasher, when extended fighting imprisoned thousands of residents and severely limited humanitarian access.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper indicated that the international community must not ignore the financial structures enabling the conflict to continue.
“As the world watches the deeply alarming build-up around El Obeid, we continue to call on the RSF to halt their assault. And we are making clear that those enabling atrocities, from the battlefield to the boardroom, will be held accountable.”
Yvette Cooper
Britain is also pressing for the United Nations arms embargo to be extended to include El Obeid, stating that stronger international limits are required to stop the flow of weapons into war zones and safeguard people.
The penalties represent a broader change in international efforts to target not only the military aspects of Sudan’s war, but also the financial institutions that fuel it. Illicit financial flows, cross-border smuggling, and the role of international business networks in promoting conflict-related trade are all receiving more attention.
As part of that bigger goal, UK has stated that the Illicit Finance Summit, slated for December 2026 in London, will focus on illicit gold transactions.
According to British officials, the forum would aim to form a worldwide coalition capable of combating the cross-border movement of dirty money, with a focus on stopping illicit gold from accessing legitimate international markets.
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