The UAE received more than $100 million worth of gold bullion that was stolen by paramilitary forces from the Sudanese central bank and its state refinery, according to the Financial Times.
Sudan’s civil war has fuelled the flow of gold — both legal and illegal — between the two countries; an Emirati official said the trade had reached just over $1 billion in 2025.
Nearly $30 billion of undeclared artisanal gold is exported from Africa to Dubai each year, according to charity Swissaid.
Sudan’s gold is fuelling one of the world’s most brutal civil wars: Militias, accused of ethnic cleansing and genocide against non-Arab communities, now use advanced drones, air defense systems and fleets of armored personnel carriers thanks to the UAE.