Every day, millions of European consumers visit their local grocery stores, unaware that many of the products they buy contain gum sourced from the same region in Sudan where large-scale atrocities are being committed by armed militias. Gum arabic, or acacia gum, is a fragrance- and flavourless resin from the acacia tree. Its stabilizing and binding properties make it a popular ingredient in food products like soft drinks, candy, and licorice, as well as in cosmetics, medicines, printing ink, and glue. Sudan is the world’s largest producer of gum arabic.
Since the outbreak of the war in Sudan, European and international markets have continued to import Sudanese gum arabic. Companies claim the gum is imported responsibly and that their trade does not finance or benefit armed groups involved in the conflict. However, the gum arabic supply chain is—and has historically been—notoriously opaque, making traceability difficult. This research shows that it is likely that the Sudanese gum arabic found in European supermarkets today has passed, directly or indirectly, through areas controlled by armed militias. In particular, it shows how the trade in gum arabic is financing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) through looting, taxation, and control of illicit trade routes.
At the same time, the gum arabic trade remains a vital source of income for millions of Sudanese producers and their families, who depend on the harvest for their livelihoods. Any measures to increase transparency and prevent conflict financing must therefore also ensure that these communities can continue to earn a living from this trade.
The international community may never profit from a trade that keeps Sudan’s war economy afloat. These findings therefore call for urgent action from companies and regulators to ensure that gum arabic supply chains are transparent, conflict-free, and socially responsible.
