More than three years into Sudan’s war, the conflict is reshaping not only the country’s political and territorial landscape but also its economic foundations. Behind the shifting front lines, two increasingly distinct war economies are emerging, each sustaining military operations while reinforcing the structures of a de facto partition.

In this policy paper, the Sudanese Center for Policy Studies (SCPS) examines how the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have developed parallel systems of revenue generation, commodity trading, financial transactions and economic governance. Drawing on original key-informant research and trade data, the paper traces the role of gold, gum arabic, agricultural exports and cross-border trade networks, highlighting how Sudan’s war economy extends into neighbouring countries and international markets.

The paper argues that these economic arrangements do more than finance the fighting. They are progressively institutionalising division through separate trade corridors, customs arrangements, financial systems and regulatory authorities, creating economic interests that may outlast the conflict itself.

Its central argument is that a sustainable peace process cannot address political and security arrangements while leaving the economic machinery of war intact. The paper proposes establishing a dedicated economic track alongside existing diplomatic efforts, combining targeted sanctions, commodity traceability, regional cooperation and economic conditionality. Crucially, these measures must distinguish between conflict-financing networks and legitimate economic activity to protect the livelihoods of millions of Sudanese.

Read the full policy paper below for the research findings, analysis and policy recommendations.