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Arsenal Football Club has officially announced that its contentious sponsorship arrangement with Visit Rwanda will come to an end in June of next year.

Context and Criticism

This deal, reportedly valued at around ten million pounds each year, was first established and has since been heavily criticized.

This criticism stems from Rwanda's alleged support for the M23 militia in continuing hostilities in the eastern part of the bordering Congo.

Earlier this year, Arsenal faced allegations of committing a disrespectful act to the government of the DRC by failing to convene with Congolese diplomat Thérèse Wagner to address the sponsorship.

Partnership Structure and Objectives

Visit Rwanda serves as a branch of the Rwanda Development Board, which is a public entity.

Many speculate that Arsenal committed to and continued this partnership primarily to expand their following across the continent.

Nevertheless, the arrangement has now concluded after both parties “collectively determined” to end their collaboration.

“Jointly, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have exceeded the initial objectives of the partnership – promoting conservation and sustainable tourism, inspiring millions of supporters to explore Rwanda, and building a solid groundwork for tourism growth,” declared an club announcement.

The release further noted that the partnership has also assisted Rwanda's goal of becoming an global sports center in Africa and host more global sporting events while delivering grassroots football initiatives that have helped hundreds of young players and coaches improve their techniques and promote increased engagement in athletics nationwide.

Management Opinion and Fan Backlash

Richard Garlick, Arsenal's CEO, portrayed the arrangement as a “significant journey” and stated it had been “advancing” the club's aspirations.

However, this perspective was not shared by a portion of the Gunners' supporters, with the protest movement Gunners for Peace holding rallies outside the Emirates Stadium during the initial Champions League semi-final match against PSG in April's conclusion.

Demonstrators showed a sign stating “Drop Visit Rwanda” and provided wristbands to hide the Visit Rwanda logo on kits.

Broader Context and Other Clubs

During that period, PSG renewed their partnership deal with Visit Rwanda until 2028.

Simultaneously, the Spanish club inked a recent contract for the same period that has led to the emblem appearing on the Spanish club's men's and women's shirts.