Sudan: Gold

The trade of illicit gold funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK Government engages with the gold industry as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to support responsible sourcing and rigorous due diligence standards to enhance resilience to illicit gold and identify malign actors in the supply chain. Since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Two of these sanctions target gold mining companies linked to the warring parties. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned three Russian-linked gold mining entities operating in Sudan. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review. Furthermore, in our international engagement, we emphasise with all countries the need to refrain from actions that prolong the crisis, including those that may financially benefit the warring parties.