International Organization: UAE Looting Sudanese Gold

A report by the Swiss organization SWISSAID has revealed a sharp increase in the smuggling of Sudanese gold to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), rising from 17 tons to 29 tons in 2024 — the year of the ongoing war.

The report stated that the UAE imported 27 tons of gold looted by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, including 18 tons routed through Libya and 9 tons through Chad.

According to SWISSAID, trade statistics from the UAE — based on the latest data from the United Nations Comtrade database — indicate that the Emirates continues to import gold from smuggling networks and conflict-related sources, particularly from Sudan and its neighboring countries.

The report described Chad and Libya as “exit points” for gold controlled by the RSF militia, a Sudanese paramilitary group whose atrocities have made global headlines. These smuggling routes, SWISSAID noted, confirm the UAE’s central role as a primary destination for trafficked Sudanese gold, as detailed in the organization’s African Gold Report, published in May 2025.

The organization further noted that this pattern extends beyond Sudan and its neighbors. In 2024, the UAE imported 31 tons of gold from Uganda (up from 14 tons in 2023) and 19 tons from Rwanda (up from 13.8 tons in 2023) — both countries that produce very little gold but serve as major hubs for smuggled gold, particularly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where mining is often linked to armed conflict.

SWISSAID added that other countries also act as “exit points” for illicit gold flows: the UAE imported 52 tons from Togo, worth around 4 billion US dollars, despite Togo producing almost no gold.

The report said this underscores the scale of regional smuggling networks and their deep connections to the UAE.