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The North London club has officially announced that its contentious sponsorship partnership with Visit Rwanda will come to an end in June of next year.

Background and Scrutiny

This deal, reportedly valued at around £10 million annually, began in 2018 and has since faced significant scrutiny.

The backlash arises from the country's reported backing for the M23 rebel group in persistent fighting in the eastern part of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Earlier this year, Arsenal was accused of issuing a severe rebuff to the authorities in Congo by declining to meet with Congolese diplomat Thérèse Wagner to talk about the deal.

Agreement Framework and Goals

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

It is widely believed that Arsenal signed and maintained this partnership primarily to expand their fanbase in Africa.

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

“Collaboratively, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have outperformed the original goals of the partnership – supporting environmental protection and responsible tourism, encouraging numerous followers to discover the country, and creating a lasting foundation for visitor increase,” read an Gunners' release.

The release further noted that the partnership has also aided Rwanda's ambition to become an worldwide athletic destination in Africa and stage additional international competitions while executing grassroots football initiatives that have assisted numerous youth athletes and coaches improve their techniques and promote increased engagement in sport across the country.

Leadership View and Supporter Response

Richard Garlick, Arsenal's chief executive officer, described the partnership as a “important voyage” and claimed it had been “driving forward” the club's goals.

Yet this view was contested by a section of Arsenal's fanbase, with the campaign group Gunners Supporting Peace holding rallies outside the North London venue during the initial Champions League semi-final match against Paris Saint-Germain in the end of April.

Activists unveiled a placard declaring “Drop Visit Rwanda” and distributed armbands to conceal the Rwanda branding on kits.

Industry Perspective and Fellow Clubs

In the same month, PSG extended their sponsorship arrangement with Visit Rwanda for several more years.

At the same time, the Spanish club inked a recent contract for the equivalent timeframe that has resulted in the logo being carried on the Madrid-based team's male and female kits.