The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has urged Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to end their sponsorship deals with Rwanda’s tourism campaign, Visit Rwanda.
Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner warned that the sponsorships may be funded by minerals illicitly mined in the occupied parts of DRC before being transported across the border and exported from Rwanda.
The appeal comes amid intensifying violence as M23 rebels, reportedly controlled by the Rwandan military, captured Goma, the largest city in eastern DRC, while the UN's refugee agency estimates that more than 400,000 people have been forced from their homes this year.
Arsenal’s partnership with Visit Rwanda began in 2018 and is currently worth a reported GBP10m (USD12.4m) per year. PSG followed in 2019, and Bayern Munich signed a five-year deal in 2023.
The campaign has boosted Rwanda’s global image, but human rights organisations including Human Rights Watch accuse the government of ‘sportswashing’ - investing in sport to enhance its global image and obscure its ‘abysmal track record’ on human rights.
❌ We invited Arsenal, Bayern Munich and PSG to respond to the allegations; they did not.
