Civil war in Sudan: External actors profiting from the war

While the attention of world public opinion is focused on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, Sudan is immersed in a new internal conflict that broke out in the early hours of April 15, 2023, more than a year and a half ago, with no end in sight to the bloody conflict. Although ignored by most of the world, the civil war in Sudan nevertheless has international intervention: several states are providing military support to each side and benefiting from the conflict, putting their own interests before the human losses and the instability in which the African country is plunged.

The international actor that is undoubtedly most responsible for fueling the conflict is the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rebels receive arms from the UAE, while the Emiratis benefit from Sudanese gold arriving in Dubai through smuggling by multiple companies, including Al Gunade. While it is true that both the rebels and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have employee gold to buy weapons, it is the Rapid Support Forces that hold the lead in this business: after South Sudan's independence in 2011, Khartoum lost access to its oil reserves, which led to an increase in gold mining. The FAR took control of the productive mines of Jebel Amir, and with it a significant percentage of gold production in Sudan which, thanks to certain connections with the government, they export illegally, mainly to the United Arab Emirates.

The reality is that, while the conflict in Sudan worsens, the United Arab Emirates continues to take advantage of its gold suppliers in the country - the FAR - in exchange for weapons, drones and medical treatment. This action, according to official American, European and several African countries' sources, is part of an operation, apparently of financial aid humanitarian, taking place from a hospital and an airfield, both located in Chad, on the border with Sudan.

In June 2023, Ugandan authorities discovered assault rifles and ammunition inside a plane originating from the UAE flying en route to Chad, allegedly carrying humanitarian goods, despite which Abu Dhabi denies involvement in the conflict. During a meeting of the UN Security committee on June 18 this year, Sudan's ambassador to the organization condemned the UAE for supporting the military rebels, making reference letter to six Emirati passports that were found in Khartoum "in the heart of the battlefield" in a joint operation carried out by the FAR. For his part, the Emirati ambassador described such accusations as "ridiculous", highlighting the humanitarian work his country is carrying out in Sudan.

The war in Sudan has also provided an opportunity for group Wagner, a Russian paramilitary organization, to increase its presence in Sudan. Although it is true that before the conflict this organization already had a role in the exploitation of gold in Darfur, after the outbreak of the war it took the opportunity to send support to the FAR from Libya, the Central African Republic and Chad, countries with the presence of mercenaries and soldiers at its service. The attendance not only translated into the transfer of troops, but also of ammunition and even MANPADS (man-portable air defense systems). It is also important to note that the group Wagner cooperates with the Arab Emirates in gold smuggling and enjoys their financial support. However, its support to the SAF has been reduced since the death of the leader of the group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, at the end of August 2023.

Moscow' s position seems not to follow exactly the same direction. Russia intends to establish a naval base in Port Sudan, currently controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces. Therefore, in recent months, Russia seems to have shifted more towards supporting Abdelfattah al Burhan, due to a promise concerning that port: on May 25, Yasir al-Atta, a member of the Military committee , declared that the latter was ready to approve the construction of a "logistic supply center" in Port Sudan in exchange for an urgent supply of arms and ammunition from Russia. However, this is not the only purpose: with this strategic shift, Moscow seeks to cool down the relations of the Transitional Military committee with Ukraine, which has been supplying drones to the SAF, as well as conducting operations against Russian mercenaries on the Sudanese territory.

International interests in the Sudanese civil war do not end there. Egypt has provided air and drone support to the SAF, albeit on a very limited basis. Tensions between Cairo and Ethiopia since the construction of the Ethiopian Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam have increased markedly, as it poses a threat to the Egyptians' water supply. Cairo therefore intends to increase its influence and have the SAF consolidate its sovereignty in Sudan, whose geostrategic importance for Cairo vis-à-vis Addis Ababa is B.

The United States, for its part, seeks the establishment of a liberal regime in Sudan, for which it has increased its diplomatic presence in the territory. Thus, John Godfrey became in 2022 the first American ambassador to Khartoum in 25 years. Washington fears that the country will be ruled by anti-Western forces and is reluctant to the establishment of a Russian naval base in Sudan. In addition, the Americans believe that the prolongation of the conflict could have consequences for the security of the Red Sea, as well as facilitate the spread of terrorism from Yemen and Somalia into an unstable Sudan. To avoid this status, Washington has been imposing sanctions since the beginning of the war on various companies and individuals supporting one side or the other.

As we have seen, what a priori appears to be a civil conflict between two military sides, contains a large number of very diverse international interests issue . The real problem arises when these interests, mostly economic, geostrategic and geopolitical, are placed above the humanitarian costs of war. According to the UN, about half of the Sudanese population, some 25 million people, are in need of humanitarian financial aid . Famine threatens the country and the number of forcibly displaced people exceeds 10 million. It is clear that countries such as the United Arab Emirates, which present themselves to the world as neutral and even providers of humanitarian financial aid aid, are actually supporting the conflict and fueling the war by providing supplies to one side or the other. And it is just as clear that the UN and the Western powers do not find it easy to intervene: Abu Dhabi not only denies any direct involvement in the conflict, but enjoys a privileged position as a result of its oil reserves, its diplomatic relevance in the Israel-Palestine war and its strategic importance in countering Iran.

It is necessary that the leaders of the different world powers are aware of the humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place in the Sudanese territory, and that this leads to a change of strategy in their actions. Otherwise, it is very difficult for the war to end, since reality is showing that the international intervention in the conflict only increases the violence and fuels the flames of a conflict that is taking more and more innocent people with each passing day.