COMMON ANALYSIS
Last update: June 2025
The analysis below is based on the following EUAA COI reports: Country Focus 2024, 2.4.1.; Country Focus 2025, 1.3., 2.5.; Security 2025, 2.4.5., 2.6.1., 2.6.2.. Country Guidance should not be referred to as a source of COI.
Disputes over land and resources have historically been a major source of conflict in Sudan, particularly in Darfur where the opposition between communities with traditional land rights and those without has been a major driving force behind the crises in the region since 2003.
This is also the case in the country's breadbasket areas, notably Al Jazirah, Sennar, and Gedaref states, where the irrigation of the region fertile lands plays a critical role in the country’s food production. Clashes were also reported in eastern Sudan where tensions between the SAF and a local armed group composed of members of the Beja community were apparently based on concerns about land ownership.
Land expropriation and the use of violence to dispossess farmers and communities of their land were exacerbated by the current conflict. While representing a goal in itself, land grabbing has also been used by the RSF as a lever to mobilise the communities composing its troops in various regions such as Darfur, South Kordofan or Al Jazirah, calling on racial tropes and economic interests. Burning of land registries has also been reported.
See also 3.1. Ethnic groups.
In cases of violence in relation to land expropriation, a situation amounting to serious harm under Article 15(b) QD/QR may occur.
It should be highlighted that in some cases, there would be a nexus to a reason for persecution falling under the definition of a refugee, and those individuals would qualify for refugee status. If the nexus to a reason for persecution is not substantiated, Article 15(b) QD/QR would apply.