Blood Gold: From Sudan to Gulf Rivals
📰 THE STORY: Bloomberg reports that Saudi Arabia is moving to secure a larger share of Sudan's gold shipments, potentially at the expense of the UAE, as a 'dispute simmers' between the two Gulf states. The article focuses on the shifting allegiances and economic rivalries among powerful Arab states. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The 'lucrative' gold trade discussed isn't
happening in a vacuum. Sudan has been in a cycle of instability and conflict largely fueled by external actors. In 1989, a military coup brought Omar al-Bashir to power, backed by elements aligned with political Islam and supported by regional players. Gold itself became a major revenue stream for the Sudanese military and allied militias, particularly after the secession of oil-rich South Sudan
in 2011. The current conflict, which erupted in April 2023, is explicitly a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), both heavily implicated in human rights abuses. The RSF, for instance, has long been accused of controlling gold mines in Darfur, enriching its leadership and financing its brutal operations. Western intelligence and UN reports have
repeatedly highlighted the UAE's role in facilitating gold sales and providing financial (and reportedly military) support to the RSF, blurring the lines between commerce and complicity in war crimes. Double Standard: Western media outlets like Bloomberg are quick to frame this as an intra-Gulf 'spat' or 'rivalry' over resources, depoliticizing the bloodshed in Sudan. When Western powers are