The UN says Sudan’s gum arabic trade, once worth $183 million annually, is now looted and taxed by the RSF and SAF to finance the civil war.
Africa · Northern
Key Facts
—UN warning. The OHCHR stated on 15 July 2026 that Sudan’s gum arabic trade is being looted and taxed to finance the conflict.
—Market dominance. Before the war, Sudan supplied roughly 70–80% of global crude gum arabic exports, worth up to $183 million annually.
—Warring parties. Both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) extract revenue through checkpoints, smuggling routes, and re-export schemes.
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Before war broke out, Sudan was the world’s biggest gum arabic exporter, with an estimated market share of 70-80%.
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