UN Warns Sudan’s Gum Arabic Trade Is Fueling Conflict

The report focuses on gum arabic, one of Sudan's most important export products and a key ingredient used worldwide in soft drinks, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food manufacturing.

Sudan's prolonged conflict is being sustained by a growing war economy that is exploiting the country's natural resources and placing millions of civilians at greater risk, according to a new report from the UN Human Rights Office. The report says the control of valuable commodities, trade routes and territory has become a major source of funding for the warring parties, allowing the conflict to continue while causing widespread human suffering.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said Sudan's natural wealth should improve the lives of its people rather than finance violence. Instead, resources that once supported local communities are now being used to prolong the conflict, making it increasingly difficult to restore stability. The report urges governments, businesses and all parties involved in Sudan's commodity trade to ensure their activities do not contribute to human rights abuses or help sustain the fighting.

Gum Arabic Trade Faces Growing Human Rights Risks

The report focuses on gum arabic, one of Sudan's most important export products and a key ingredient used worldwide in soft drinks, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food manufacturing. Before the war began in 2023, Sudan supplied around 70 to 80 percent of the world's crude gum arabic exports, making the country central to global supply chains.

For millions of Sudanese families, gum arabic harvesting and trade remain a vital source of income. The report says many people connected to the industry have experienced intimidation, arbitrary detention, looting, extortion and other abuses linked to the conflict. Armed groups have also disrupted the sector by targeting markets and warehouses.

One major incident occurred in May 2025 when the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) reportedly looted the Gum Arabic Exchange, its warehouses and parts of the surrounding market in El-Nuhud, West Kordofan, at a time when export stocks were ready for shipment. The attack severely affected local businesses and damaged livelihoods that depend on the trade.

Global Supply Chains Face Greater Responsibility

The conflict has also reshaped export routes. Gum arabic produced in areas controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces is generally transported through Port Sudan, while supplies from territories under RSF control are increasingly moved through cross-border smuggling networks into neighbouring countries. The report warns that some of these shipments may later enter international markets after being relabelled or documented as products originating elsewhere, making it difficult to verify their true source.

The UN is calling on governments to strengthen traceability, regulatory oversight and accountability throughout the supply chain. Companies purchasing commodities from conflict-affected regions are also being urged to carry out enhanced human rights due diligence, carefully examine suppliers, transport routes, intermediaries and documentation, and establish effective mechanisms for affected communities to raise concerns and seek remedies.

The report argues that responsible sourcing has become essential in conflict zones, where commercial activities can unintentionally contribute to violence if businesses fail to identify and address human rights risks within their supply chains.