Swiss Aid Report: UAE gold imports from Sudan soar by 70% in 2024

GENEVA, Nov. 05 (YPA) – The Swiss non-governmental organization “Swiss Aid” has accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of being a “major hub for the conflict-related gold trade,” revealing that its gold imports from Sudan increased by 70% in 2024.

The organization explained that the UAE imported 29 tonnes of gold from Sudan last year, up from 17 tonnes in 2023. Swiss Aid based its report on the UAE’s foreign trade data published in a UN database on October 31, which was later removed.

The Swiss Aid also noted that the UAE imported 18 tonnes of gold from Chad and 9 tonnes from Libya. According to the organization, these two countries serve as “export outlets for gold controlled by the Rapid Support Forces” (RSF) in Sudan, confirming that these flows demonstrate the UAE’s role as a major destination for smuggled Sudanese gold.

The organization stressed that the UAE, which is the largest importer of African gold and the second-largest gold importer globally, “still constitutes a global hub for the trade of untraceable gold, particularly conflict-related gold,” despite its commitments to source gold from known origins.

YPA