Sudan: The Never-Ending Chess Game in the Heart of Africa

Located in the heart of the African continent, Sudan has once again moved to the center of the global agenda in recent years. Often referred to under headlines of "humanitarian crisis" or "struggle for democracy," this country is, in reality, the stage for a silent but profound reckoning between global powers. The developments in Sudan are largely reflections of the competition for energy and influence in Africa.

Independent But Not Free

When Sudan gained its independence in 1956, it was a source of hope for the future of Africa. However, like many African countries, "political independence" did not bring economic independence. The colonizers had withdrawn from the continent, but they were replaced by multinational corporations, foreign-backed politicians, and relationships of economic dependency. Thus, colonialism continued by changing its form.

Today, Sudan resembles a micro-Africa with its more than 500 tribes, dozens of ethnic groups, and hundreds of languages. This diversity has been as much a source of the country's fragility as it has been its wealth. When ethnic, religious, and regional divisions combined with conflicts of interest over natural resources, Sudan was dragged into a cycle of perpetual civil war.

Today's Sudan: A Country of Never-Ending Crises

The current crisis in Sudan is closely related not only to the competition of external actors but also to the deep divisions among power centers within the country. The overthrow of Omar al-Bashir in 2019 had created hope for a "new beginning." However, the military-civilian transitional government collapsed shortly thereafter. Economic crisis, food shortages, ethnic conflicts, and the power struggle within the army itself have plunged the country back into chaos.

Since 2023, Sudan has been the scene of a full-scale civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces, commanded by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti). The RSF's advance in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, created a strategic turning point in the war. According to UN data, thousands of people have lost their lives, 12 million people have been displaced, and 18 million people are facing the risk of famine.

The civil wars in Sudan are among the longest and bloodiest conflicts not only in Africa but in the world. These wars, spanning over half a century, have led to the loss of millions of lives and the displacement of millions more. Every crisis experienced in Sudan today is shaped in the shadow of this painful historical legacy.

Oil, Gold, and Water: The Curse of Wealth

Sudan's fate is closely linked to the natural resources it possesses. Its oil reserves of approximately 2 billion barrels, rich gold and uranium deposits, and the water resources of the Nile River make the country both economically attractive and a target for regional competition.

Behind the war that broke out in Darfur in 2003 was not only "ethnic tension" but also the sharing of oil and gold revenues. Viewed from this perspective, Sudan's resource wealth has not been a blessing, but the main source of instability.

Sudan is like a mirror reflecting the fate of Africa: A country with rich resources but poor, a hopeless society despite its young population, and a politically fragile structure despite its strategic location...

The Never-Ending War of Partition in Sudan

The long-standing legacy of colonialism in Africa continues by changing its form. Today, actors such as China, Russia, the USA, the EU, Iran, India, Israel, and the UAE have entered into a new struggle for influence on the continent. One of the centers of this competition is Sudan.

• Iran sees Sudan as the gateway to Africa.

• Russia wants to establish itself in the region economically and militarily with its gold reserves and plans to build a base on the Red Sea.

• China continues its infrastructure and mining investments in Sudan within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

• India is trying to strengthen its relations with Sudan in terms of energy security.

• The European Union aims to bring Sudanese oil and migration flows under control.

• The USA is uncomfortable with the increasing influence of China and Russia; therefore, it is revitalizing its diplomatic initiatives in Africa.

• Israel sees Sudan as a strategic partner through its connection to the Nile River and the Red Sea.

• The UAE provides financial and military support to the parties in Sudan with the goal of increasing its regional influence.

For this reason, Sudan has become one of the hottest fronts of global power competition in Africa.

Turkey's Africa Move and Suakin Island

For Turkey, Sudan is a special part of the strategic equation in Africa. The allocation of Suakin Island, an Ottoman legacy, to Turkey had moved relations between the two countries to a strategic level in 2017. However, this step had caused discomfort in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Because Suakin is located in the very heart of the Red Sea, at the crossroads of trade routes.

Turkey's opening to Africa is part of not only an economic but also a historical, cultural, and diplomatic strategy. However, every change of administration in Sudan has caused Turkey to reconsider its position in the region. In particular, the use of Bayraktar armed drones (SİHA) supplied by Turkey in the civil war makes it necessary for Ankara to carefully maintain the balance of neutrality.

Conclusion

The crisis in Sudan is not just a local civil war, but one of the harshest reflections of the struggle for energy, trade, and influence in Africa. The winner of this chess game is not yet clear, but it is obvious that the loser is the Sudanese people.

The tragedies experienced by the people of Sudan deserve as much international attention as those in Gaza and other conflict zones of the world. It is of great importance for the international community to increase its mediation efforts and ensure a lasting ceasefire between the parties to prevent more people from becoming victims of the conflict.