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Arsenal Football Club has declared that its disputed sponsorship partnership with Visit Rwanda will expire in the coming June.

Context and Criticism

This deal, estimated to cost around £10m per year, was first established and has since been heavily criticized.

This criticism stems from accusations of Rwandan assistance for the M23 rebel group in continuing hostilities in the eastern areas of the adjacent DRC.

In February, Arsenal was criticized for committing a disrespectful act to the Congolese government by not arranging a meeting with Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner to talk about the deal.

Deal Composition and Aims

Visit Rwanda operates as a division of the Rwanda's development authority, which is a government department.

Many speculate that Arsenal entered into and upheld this partnership mainly to grow their following across the continent.

Nonetheless, the deal has now ended after both parties “jointly decided” to go their separate ways.

“Jointly, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have exceeded the original goals of the partnership – advocating preservation and sustainable tourism, encouraging numerous followers to explore Rwanda, and building a solid groundwork for tourism growth,” read an Gunners' release.

The announcement added that the partnership has also supported Rwanda's ambition to become an global sports center in Africa and welcome more worldwide tournaments while implementing local football projects that have helped hundreds of young players and coaches improve their techniques and inspire greater participation in athletics nationwide.

Management Opinion and Fan Backlash

Richard Garlick, Arsenal's top executive, portrayed the arrangement as a “major expedition” and claimed it had been “advancing” the club's goals.

But that is not how a portion of the Gunners' supporters, with the campaign group Gunners for Peace staging protests outside the club's home ground during the initial Champions League semi-final match against PSG in late April.

Protesters displayed a banner that read “Drop Visit Rwanda” and handed out sleeves to hide the Visit Rwanda logo on jerseys.

Broader Context and Other Clubs

Around that time, PSG renewed their partnership deal with Visit Rwanda for several more years.

Meanwhile, the Spanish club entered a new agreement for the identical duration that has caused the branding featured on the Spanish club's men's and women's shirts.