Sudan's gold production declines amid war

Gold bars seized from a plane by Sudanese Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum Airport, May 2019. [Reuters]

Sudan's state mining services company said its gold production has dropped to two tons amid the ongoing clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), compared to 18 tons in 2022.

"The total gold produced by the corporate sectors reached two tons during the period from April 15 to the end of August 2023," Miqdam Khalil Ibrahim, assistant to the director general of Sudan's Mineral Resources Company, said in a statement.

He said the value of the produced gold amounts to 124 million U.S. dollars, of which the government has a share of 25.5 million dollars.

Gold exports are a significant source of Sudan's foreign currency. Sudan officially exported 34.5 tons of gold worth over 2 billion dollars last year.

According to earlier United Nations reports, the Sudanese economy has declined by up to 42 percent due to the ongoing clashes.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the SAF and the RSF in Khartoum and other areas since April 15, resulting in at least 3,000 deaths and more than 6,000 injuries, according to figures released by the Sudanese Health Ministry.