Sudan's Money Troubles: How a Flight Ban Hit the Gold Trade

Sudan is in a tough spot. The country's money, the Sudanese pound, has lost a lot of its value. This is because flights from Port Sudan to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were stopped. The UAE is a big deal for Sudan. It buys a lot of Sudan's gold. Gold is a huge part of Sudan's money-making. Without the UAE buying it, Sudan is struggling. The UAE is like a best friend turned into a rival. The Sudanese army says the UAE supports a group fighting against them. This group is called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The UAE says it doesn't support the RSF, but it's not getting along well with the Sudanese army. This bad relationship is making things worse for Sudan's economy. Since the flights stopped, the value of the Sudanese pound has dropped a lot. It's now worth much less than before. This is because the gold trade is suffering. Gold is a big part of Sudan's money. Without it, the country is having a hard time. The UAE is a major player in the gold trade. It's the second-largest gold trading hub in the world. Sudan relies on the UAE to buy its gold. Without this trade, Sudan is struggling to pay for important things like fuel and wheat. The prices of these things have gone up a lot since August. Sudan is trying to find other countries to trade with. They've tried Qatar, Oman, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. But so far, none of these have worked out. The UAE embargo has made things difficult. It's pushed more gold smuggling to Egypt. But even then, most of it ends up in the UAE. The UAE's gold refining capacity is much bigger than other countries in the region. This makes it a go-to place for Sudan's gold. The UAE also offers advanced payments, which makes trading easier. But with the current situation, Sudan is stuck. It's hard to see how things will improve anytime soon.