(4 Minutes Read)
Sudan remains trapped in brutal conflict as economic inequality, military rivalries, and foreign interference fuel what is now considered the worst humanitarian crisis in its history. Hopes for democratic transition collapsed after successive coups empowered two competing military factions, whose war has killed over 150,000 people and displaced more than 12 million. Foreign powers seeking geopolitical and economic advantage have turned Sudan into a proxy battleground, even as the world pays little attention to the country’s deepening catastrophe.
Sudan, a nation scarred by conflicts, power struggles, and military coups, continues to be in turmoil. Deepening economic disparities, the insatiable greed of political and military elites, and persistent foreign interference have all conspired to keep the country trapped in a cycle of instability. The ongoing civil war has now spiralled into what many describe as the worst humanitarian crisis in Sudan’s history.
When President Omar al-Bashir was deposed in a coup in 2019 after 30 years of authoritarian rule, there was a glimmer of hope that Sudan would finally have a civilian-led government. However, those hopes were crushed after a military coup in 2021 thwarted the transitional government. The country came under the control of two military leaders, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
Soon, the rivalry between the two military factions erupted into a brutal civil war in April 2023. The past two and a half years of war have claimed more than 150,000 lives. The death toll continues to surge as devastating food shortages and the breakdown of healthcare systems ravage the country. Brutal attacks on civilians and sexual violence against women and girls are rampant. It is reported that more than 12 million Sudanese have been displaced since 2023.
Though the war in Sudan is often portrayed as a power struggle between two rival military leaders, this conflict is much more complex and deadly. It is evident that Sudan has become a battleground for competing foreign interests. Several foreign powers are actively fuelling the rivalry, turning the conflict into a proxy war for conflicting geopolitical agendas.
Sudan’s geo-strategic significance cannot be overstated. Its access to the Red Sea, a vital shipping corridor, positions it as a critical bridge between the Middle East and Africa. Sudan’s control of oil pipelines and refineries, as well as its key role in Nile River diplomacy, gives it immense geopolitical value. With its huge gold deposits, the country has become a hub for illicit gold mining and smuggling.
Several experts have alleged that foreign powers, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Russia, have provided covert support to RSF or SAF as per their business and strategic interests. The RSF controls gold mines and lucrative trade networks, while the SAF holds control of strategic ports and agricultural zones. By supplying weapons and extending financial, logistical and diplomatic support, these countries try to wield control over the conflict. It is alleged that they view a democratic transition in Sudan as an obstacle to their vested interests in regional dominance and the exploitation of Sudan’s natural resources.
The UAE has been specifically accused of funding RSF and supplying weapons to secure control over Sudan’s gold and agricultural resources. As its immediate neighbour, Egypt is worried about the outcome of the war and its implications on the dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile River. Stability along the Red Sea, a key trade channel, is central for Saudi Arabia’s economic plans. Observers say though Saudi Arabia maintains a neutral stance, it has subtly supported SAF with diplomatic backing. Russia, on the other hand, experts say, views Sudan as an opportunity to deepen its influence in Africa.
The irony is, despite Sudan sinking deeper into chaos and the humongous suffering of the people, it hardly gets any global attention. The world is busy focusing on other global crises. Calls for peace talks, international intervention, and a comprehensive agreement between the fighting factions are drowned in the din.
