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Arsenal Football Club has officially announced that its disputed sponsorship agreement with Visit Rwanda will terminate in the coming June.

Context and Criticism

The arrangement, estimated to cost around £10m per year, was initiated six years ago and has since come under fire.

The backlash stems from accusations of Rwandan assistance for the M23 militia in ongoing conflicts in the eastern part of the bordering Congo.

In February, Arsenal was criticized for committing a disrespectful act to the Congolese government by not arranging a meeting with Congolese diplomat Thérèse Wagner to discuss the partnership.

Deal Composition and Aims

Visit Rwanda functions as an arm of the the country's development agency, which is a public entity.

There is broad consensus that Arsenal entered into and maintained this partnership primarily to expand their fanbase in Africa.

However, the deal has now ended after both parties “mutually agreed” to end their collaboration.

“Collaboratively, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have exceeded the original goals of the partnership – advocating preservation and eco-friendly travel, encouraging numerous followers to explore Rwanda, and building a solid groundwork for visitor increase,” declared an club announcement.

The statement continued that the partnership has also aided Rwanda's goal of becoming an global sports center in Africa and stage additional international competitions while executing local football projects that have assisted numerous youth athletes and coaches develop their skills and promote increased engagement in sport across the country.

Management Opinion and Fan Backlash

Richard Garlick, Arsenal's CEO, portrayed the arrangement as a “major expedition” and stated it had been “driving forward” the club's aspirations.

But that is not how a section of Arsenal's fanbase, with the protest movement Arsenal Peace Advocates holding rallies outside the club's home ground during the initial Champions League semi-final match against Paris Saint-Germain in the end of April.

Protesters displayed a banner that read “End the Rwanda Deal” and provided wristbands to hide the Rwanda branding on jerseys.

Wider Landscape and Additional Teams

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

Meanwhile, the Madrid-based team signed a fresh deal for the same period that has caused the logo being carried on the Madrid-based team's men's and women's shirts.