At least 5,000 kilogrammes of gold mined by artisanal workers in South Sudan each year is escaping government oversight, with most of it smuggled through neighbouring Uganda to the United Arab Emirates, according to a report by Swiss NGO SWISSAID, the Sudan Post writes.

In one recent case, a UAE businessman allegedly exported 3.3 kilos of gold from South Sudan in February 2025 without proper government authorisation. The Ministry of Mining confirmed it had not issued a No-Objection Letter for the export, as required under Section 47(4) of the Mining Act of 2012.

The gold had been exported by Dr Abdullah Alshabani, a partner of Prudential Holdings Co. Ltd, a registered South Sudanese mining firm. In a letter dated February 12, the company asked the ministry for clarification. Two days later, the ministry replied that Alshabani had acted without permission and instructed the company to seek the permit directly from him.

SWISSAID’s report highlights how South Sudan’s gold sector functions without effective oversight, allowing vast quantities of gold to move through informal routes to international markets, particularly the UAE. The organisation warns that this regulatory vacuum is fuelling illicit smuggling and depriving the country of critical revenues.

While South Sudan has significant mineral potential, the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) industry remains largely informal and unregulated. According to SWISSAID’s On the Trail of African Gold—a study covering 54 African countries—South Sudan ranks among the least transparent. The research, conducted between 2021 and 2024, found that gold from South Sudan routinely enters the UAE without formal export documentation.

UN Comtrade and SWISSAID data show the UAE was Africa’s top gold importer in 2022, receiving over 400 tonnes, much of it unregistered. The report estimates $30.7bn worth of African gold was smuggled globally that year.

South Sudan’s absence from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and lack of comprehensive mining legislation exacerbate the problem. A 2021 study by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) similarly documented corruption, weak oversight, and involvement of political and military elites in the gold sector.

SWISSAID is urging African governments, including South Sudan, to formalise ASM, enhance regulation, and improve regional cooperation to stem illicit flows and ensure mineral wealth supports development.