EU bans Sudan gold imports to choke off war funding

July 13, 2026 (BRUSSELS) – The European Union on Monday banned the import and trade of gold originating in Sudan alongside a prohibition on exporting mercury and cyanide to the country, aiming to choke off a vital source of funding for the warring factions.

The Council of the EU said the new sectoral sanctions target Sudan’s war economy to curb the financing of a conflict that has caused an unprecedented humanitarian crisis since it erupted in April 2023.

“Gold has become a key source of revenue sustaining the conflict in Sudan,” the Council said in a statement, adding that the measures are designed to increase pressure on those fuelling the violence.

The export ban on mercury and cyanide targets chemicals critical to Sudan’s gold mining operations, though the EU included humanitarian and public health exemptions for these specific substances.

The restrictions also cover related technical, brokering, and financial assistance.

The EU has repeatedly condemned the ongoing fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Monday’s package builds on a sanctions framework established by the bloc in October 2023, which was last updated with individual listings in January 2026.