Post #416

A Feast in the Time of Plague 📈 Sudanese authorities have reported record volumes of gold exports — 70 tonnes in 2025, 13% higher than in 2024. Against the backdrop of an unending war, the growth in gold exports remains one of the few islands of stability, one that oddly unites both Sudan’s official authorities and their opponents in the RSF. 🛢 For Sudan, being associated with gold is not the norm. In the past, crude oil provided most of the country’s export revenues. However, after the recent Heglig oil field seizure by the RSF forces, gold is likely to become the main source of income for Khartoum in 2026 — the financial backbone for continuing the fighting and keeping afloat what locals still call an economy. 🚗 The same logic applies to the rebel RSF forces, which also use gold as one of their key lifelines. There are, of course, no comparable official statistics, but it is believed that in 2024–2025 the RSF sold around$850 million worth of gold to the UAE. ⏩ Sudan's case is starting to display an exemplary instance of “blood diamonds” — except that instead of diamonds, it is gold — a situation where the state and armed groups directly use natural resources to sustain a war. ➡️ Follow to stay informed - @devilsbelow