EU Targets Sudan’s Gold Trade With New Sanctions Aimed at War Economy

The Council of the European Union on Tuesday expanded its sanctions against Sudan, banning imports of Sudanese gold and restricting exports of key mining chemicals in an effort to cut off revenue streams that finance the country’s civil war.

The new measures prohibit the purchase, import or transfer of gold originating in Sudan and ban the sale, supply, transfer or export of mercury and cyanide to the country. The restrictions also cover related services, including technical assistance, brokering and financial support.

The EU said gold has become a major source of funding for the conflict, and limiting trade in the precious metal, along with access to chemicals used in gold mining, is intended to reduce the financial resources available to those driving the violence.

The sanctions include exemptions for humanitarian operations. Restrictions on mercury and cyanide will not apply to goods intended for humanitarian purposes, public health emergencies or disaster response.

The measures are the latest step in the EU’s response to the conflict that erupted in Sudan on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The war has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with widespread violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Over 14 million people, nearly a quarter of Sudan’s total population, have been displaced since fighting began more than three years ago.

The EU first established a sanctions framework for Sudan in October 2023, targeting individuals and entities accused of undermining the country’s stability and political transition. It has expanded the list several times, most recently in January 2026.

Following the International Conference on Sudan held in Berlin in April, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reiterated the bloc’s call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire and warned that external actors must stop fuelling the conflict. She said the EU would use all available tools, including additional sanctions, to pressure those sustaining the war.

The latest measures broaden the EU’s sanctions regime by directly targeting sectors that Brussels says have become central to financing the conflict.