"How trade in gum arabic fuels conflict in Sudan" 27 November 2025

This paper investigates the probability that the gum arabic found in European supermarkets today—in candies, cosmetics, and medicines—has passed through the hands of Sudan’s conflict parties, particularly the RSF. Since the outbreak of the war, European and other international markets have continued to import gum arabic from Sudan...Companies claim the gum is imported responsibly and that their trade does not interact with conflict parties...

Before the outbreak of war in April 2023, Sudan was the world’s largest producer and exporter of gum arabic, supplying around 70–80% of global demand…Sudanese gum is highly prized on international markets due to its uniquely high quality, attributed to ideal climatic conditions. Moreover, gum arabic production has been deeply embedded in the local economy for decades, possibly even centuries….

Harvesting is typically done by smallholder or semi-nomadic farmers who rely on multiple livelihoods, often practice traditional tapping methods, and for whom gum arabic provides an important supplementary income. Women often play a key role in post-harvest processing, such as cleaning, sorting, and packing the gum, which provides them with an important source of income…

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