Culture Society, Identity and Belonging
The Democratic Republic of Congo has formally urged football clubs Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain to end their “blood-stained” sponsorship deals with Visit Rwanda – the controversial government campaign to boost tourism and raise the country’s profile internationally.
Rwanda’s latest partnership with Arsenal, first initiated in 2018, is reported to be worth more than £10 million per year.
The appeal comes as rebels captured Goma, the biggest city in eastern Congo, largely thanks to Rwanda’s support: UN experts believe an estimated 4,000 Rwandan soldiers are deployed in the area in addition to M23 fighters.
At least 700 people have been killed in the fighting over the past week and 400,000 have been displaced from their homes since the start of the year, according to the UN.
Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame has also announced a bid to host a Formula 1 race.
