It was worth 600 before the war began in April 2023.
Authorities in the UAE, which is the world’s second-largest gold trading hub, did not respond to requests for comment.
According to Sudanese central bank data, the UAE imported almost 90% of Sudan’s legal gold exports, about 8.8 tonnes, in the first half of 2025. These exports brought in almost $840 million, Sudan’s largest export by far.
Alternative gold markets
The Sudanese government has used these exports to finance imports of strategic commodities like fuel and wheat, prices for which have shot up since August in army-controlled territory, according to residents.
Suliman Baldo, head of the Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker, said Port Sudan authorities and traders had been exploring pathways for alternate gold markets in Qatar, Oman, Egypt and Saudi Arabia but none had worked out so far.
