Sudan Goldsmiths and Miners Union: EU Sanctions on Gold Have “No Impact”

The Sudan Goldsmiths and Miners Union has downplayed the impact of European Union (EU) sanctions on Sudanese gold exports, saying the country has no direct commercial trade with EU member states.

The union’s official spokesperson, Atef Ahmed Abdel Gadir, told Ultra Sudan that “the European sanctions have no impact on Sudanese gold exports because Sudan does not export gold directly to the European Union.”

Abdel Gadir said the main challenge lies in gold smuggling across the country’s borders. He added that the pursuit of quick wealth and a lack of national responsibility among some individuals are the main drivers behind smuggling operations, noting that “the state has facilitated official export procedures, but the continued smuggling is due to the greed of some and their failure to place the public interest above personal gain.”