The Sudanese Government continues to grant new long-term leases over community lands to investors without consulting local populations or obtaining their consent, says the Sudan Democracy First Group (SDFG).

Sudan is among the global ‘hotspots’ for large-scale land acquisitions. According to a 2014 study by the World Bank, Sudan transferred nearly four million hectares of land to foreign private investors between 2004-2013, more than any other country surveyed. As such, Sudan has established itself as number two in the region, second to Saudi Arabia, in attracting foreign direct investment.

In its September report, Land Use, Ownership and Allocation in Sudan, SDFG tackles the legal expropriation of unregistered lands, “which account for 90 per cent of all land in the country”, and the scope and scale of corruption concerning land use and ownership.