🔗 Share this article The Gunners' Controversial Sponsorship Deal with Visit Rwanda Will Conclude Next Year Arsenal Football Club has confirmed that its disputed sponsorship agreement with Visit Rwanda will terminate in June this upcoming year. Context and Criticism The partnership, said to be worth around £10m per year, began in 2018 and has since come under fire. This criticism is due to Rwanda's alleged support for the M23 militia in continuing hostilities in the eastern areas of the bordering Congo. Earlier this year, Arsenal was criticized for committing a disrespectful act to the government of the DRC by declining to meet with Congolese diplomat Thérèse Wagner to talk about the deal. Partnership Structure and Objectives Visit Rwanda serves as a division of the Rwanda Development Board, which is a government department. Many speculate that Arsenal signed and upheld this partnership chiefly to increase their African supporter base. Nonetheless, the deal has now ended after both parties “collectively determined” to go their separate ways. “Together, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have exceeded the primary aims of the partnership – supporting environmental protection and responsible tourism, inspiring millions of supporters to visit the nation, and creating a lasting foundation for tourism growth,” read an Gunners' release. The announcement added that the partnership has also supported Rwanda's goal of becoming an global sports center in Africa and stage additional international competitions while executing community soccer programs that have helped hundreds of young players and coaches enhance their abilities and promote increased engagement in sport across the country. Executive Perspective and Fan Reaction Richard Garlick, Arsenal's top executive, characterized the deal as a “important voyage” and asserted it had been “advancing” the club's goals. Yet this view was contested by a section of Arsenal's fanbase, with the campaign group Gunners for Peace holding rallies outside the North London venue during the initial Champions League semi-final match against the French club in the end of April. Activists unveiled a banner that read “End the Rwanda Deal” and provided wristbands to cover up the Visit Rwanda logo on uniforms. Wider Landscape and Additional Teams During that period, Paris Saint-Germain continued their sponsorship agreement with Visit Rwanda through 2028. Meanwhile, the Spanish club inked a recent contract for the identical duration that has led to the logo being carried on the Madrid-based team's first-team and women's team jerseys.