The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has issued a stark warning that Sudan’s gum arabic trade is being systematically looted and taxed by warring factions to fund the ongoing civil war.
The report, released on July 15, details how the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have turned the country’s primary agricultural export into a revenue stream for military operations, effectively weaponizing a commodity that once anchored the national economy.
Gum arabic, a natural gum used in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, was previously valued at approximately $183 million annually.
Gum arabic, a natural gum used in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, was previously valued at approximately $183 million annually.
The OHCHR’s findings indicate that this revenue is no longer flowing to the state or local farmers but is instead being diverted to sustain combat operations.
This development underscores the deepening entanglement of global supply chains with conflict financing, raising compliance and ethical risks for international buyers who rely on Sudanese exports.
The warning comes amid broader humanitarian concerns.