🔗 Share this article The Gunners' Controversial Partnership Agreement with Visit Rwanda Set to End This Coming Year Arsenal Football Club has declared that its contentious sponsorship agreement with Visit Rwanda will come to an end in June this upcoming year. Background and Scrutiny The partnership, said to be worth around £10m per year, was first established and has since come under fire. Such scrutiny stems from accusations of Rwandan assistance for the M23 militia in persistent fighting in the eastern region of the bordering Congo. Months ago, Arsenal was accused of issuing a severe rebuff to the government of the DRC by not arranging a meeting with the DRC's foreign minister to talk about the deal. Agreement Framework and Goals Visit Rwanda functions as a branch of the Rwanda Development Board, which is a public entity. There is broad consensus that Arsenal signed and continued this partnership mainly to grow their fanbase in Africa. However, the partnership has now terminated after both parties “jointly decided” to part ways. “Jointly, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have surpassed the primary aims of the partnership – supporting environmental protection and eco-friendly travel, encouraging numerous followers to visit the nation, and establishing a durable base for tourism growth,” read an official Arsenal statement. The announcement added that the partnership has also supported Rwanda's objective to emerge as an global sports center in Africa and welcome more worldwide tournaments while executing community soccer programs that have assisted numerous youth athletes and coaches improve their techniques and inspire greater participation in athletics nationwide. Executive Perspective and Fan Reaction Richard Garlick, Arsenal's CEO, characterized the deal as a “significant journey” and claimed it had been “advancing” the club's aspirations. But that is not how a portion of the Gunners' supporters, with the activist organization Arsenal Peace Advocates staging protests outside the club's home ground during the first semi-final encounter in Europe's premier competition against PSG in April's conclusion. Demonstrators showed a placard declaring “Terminate the Visit Rwanda Partnership” and provided wristbands to conceal the Rwanda branding on kits. Wider Landscape and Additional Teams During that period, the French champions continued their sponsorship agreement with Visit Rwanda through 2028. Meanwhile, the Madrid-based team signed a fresh deal for the same period that has caused the branding featured on the Spanish club's first-team and women's team jerseys.