Sudan's decision: Moscow and Khartoum move closer to settlements in national currencies

Negotiations between Moscow and Khartoum on the transition to settlements in rubles and Sudanese pounds have entered a technical stage. As the Sudanese Ambassador to Russia, Mohammed Sirraj, told Izvestia, the central banks have already held consultations. This decision will allow countries under US sanctions to protect trade and joint projects from external pressure. The diplomat added that the previously reached agreements on economic cooperation are gradually moving into practical terms, from energy and the oil industry to mining and infrastructure projects.

Settlement in national currencies will accelerate economic ties

Following a meeting of the Russian-Sudanese intergovernmental commission in September last year, the parties agreed on several joint projects. Concrete steps are currently being taken to launch them, primarily in the mining, energy and oil industries. Sudanese delegations have already visited Russia to work out cooperation, and some of the initiatives have entered the stage of practical implementation. The Ambassador of Sudan to the Russian Federation, Mohammed Sirraj, told Izvestia about this.

— The delegation of the Central Bank of Sudan visited Russia, negotiations were held, which are under discussion between the two countries. These are technical issues, and the visit was assessed as a success. Negotiations on the transition to settlements in national currencies are at a technical stage and are progressing constructively," the Sudanese diplomat shared.

The choice in favor of transactions in rubles and Sudanese pounds is considered by the parties not only as a way to minimize sanctions risks and reduce dependence on the dollar-centric financial system, but also as a tool to accelerate economic ties. Using national currencies will reduce transaction costs and simplify payments.

At the same time, the transition to settlements in the currencies of the two countries is beneficial not only to Russia, which is under massive Western sanctions. Sudan itself has also been subject to American restrictions since June 2025: after accusations of using chemical weapons, the United States imposed a ban on dollar transactions, restricted exports to the country and access to credit lines. In such circumstances, the mechanism becomes a mutually beneficial tool that allows both countries to minimize risks, speed up settlements and withdraw trade from the pressure of third countries.

In recent years, Russia has significantly increased the supply of agricultural products to Sudan. In 2025, exports of our agro—industrial complex to this country more than doubled to 1.7 million tons worth about $410 million, with over 90% of supplies coming from wheat. Sudan, which is experiencing the effects of armed conflict and the food crisis, has become one of the key markets for Russian grain and has become one of the largest importers.

In the context of the ongoing armed clashes in the republic, any stable supply arrangements play a stabilizing role for the internal situation, orientalist Leonid Tsukanov told Izvestia.

According to him, due to the intensification of Russia's policy in the African direction, rapprochement with Sudan in the field of grain and fertilizer supplies forms a solid foundation for further expansion of trade and economic cooperation. The expert emphasizes that there is consistently high demand for Russian products in these segments, which opens up additional opportunities to strengthen Russia's position in regional markets.

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Russian projects in Sudan

At the same time, Khartoum is interested in expanding its own exports to Russia. We are talking about the supply of gold, cotton, sesame, gum arabic (food thickener), as well as livestock and agricultural products. Sudan remains one of the largest gold producers in Africa, with production of about 70 tons in 2025 and industry revenue approaching $1.8 billion.

Russian companies in the field of geology and subsoil use operate in the country, including GPB Global Resources (the Kush deposit with production of about 1.5 tons of gold per year), M-Invest and Rusdragmed. Rosgeologiya has been implementing a project to create a geological map and search for gold since 2021, and continues to work even after the conflict began in 2023. Settlements in national currencies in this segment can simplify transactions and reduce the impact of external restrictions on operations with precious metals.

Also earlier, the Minister of Energy and Oil Industry of Sudan, Al-Muatasim Ibrahim, told Izvestia about his intention to modernize the electric grid and increase generation capacity with the participation of Russian companies. Technical data necessary for the preparation of agreements is already being exchanged, and Russian players are showing interest in participating in projects for the development of oil and gas fields. In particular, the connection to the development of more than 20 sites, including the regions of the Red Sea, was discussed.

Modernization of hydroelectric power plants remains a separate area. Sudan is counting on Russian technology and experience to improve the efficiency of existing hydroelectric power plants, including the Rozair and Sennar facilities, as well as projects related to the Meroe dam. According to the estimates of the Sudanese side, this will increase the generation capacity by 20-30%, which is critically important for economic recovery.

The need for such cooperation is largely dictated by the internal situation in Sudan. After two years of civil war, the country's infrastructure has been destroyed, the economy is unstable, and most of the population has been displaced. In these circumstances, the republic's authorities rely on external partners who can offer investments and technologies to restore key industries.

In a broader context, Russia and Sudan continue to develop relations that were established back in 1956. Today, one of the key areas of bilateral cooperation remains the project of creating a logistics center for the Russian Navy in Sudan. Moscow emphasizes that its appearance could help stabilize the situation in the region and create a more favorable investment climate.

Earlier, former Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Yousef Sharif stated that the parties fully understood each other on this issue. However, in November 2025, the Russian Ambassador to the republic, Andrei Chernovol, announced that the creation of a naval base in Port Sudan had been suspended, taking into account the ongoing military conflict. According to an informed source of Izvestia, there is currently no noticeable progress in the implementation of the project.