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Arsenal Football Club has declared that its much-debated sponsorship agreement with Visit Rwanda will come to an end in June of next year.

Context and Criticism

The arrangement, said to be worth around ten million pounds each year, began in 2018 and has since come under fire.

The backlash arises from accusations of Rwandan assistance for the M23 militia in continuing hostilities in the eastern region of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Earlier this year, Arsenal was criticized for delivering an "outrageous" snub to the Congolese government by declining to meet with the DRC's foreign minister to talk about the deal.

Agreement Framework and Goals

Visit Rwanda serves as a division of the Rwanda Development Board, which is a state institution.

It is widely believed that Arsenal signed and continued this partnership mainly to grow their following across the continent.

However, the deal has now ended after both parties “collectively determined” to go their separate ways.

“Collaboratively, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have surpassed the initial objectives of the partnership – advocating preservation and eco-friendly travel, encouraging numerous followers to visit the nation, and establishing a durable base for tourism growth,” declared an Gunners' release.

The statement continued that the partnership has also supported Rwanda's objective to emerge as an international sporting hub in Africa and welcome more worldwide tournaments while delivering local football projects that have assisted numerous youth athletes and coaches enhance their abilities and encourage more involvement in sports throughout the nation.

Executive Perspective and Fan Reaction

Richard Garlick, Arsenal's CEO, characterized the deal as a “significant journey” and asserted it had been “driving forward” the club's goals.

Yet this view was contested by a portion of the Gunners' supporters, with the campaign group Gunners for Peace demonstrating outside the club's home ground during the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against PSG in late April.

Protesters displayed a sign stating “End the Rwanda Deal” and handed out sleeves to cover up the Rwanda branding on uniforms.

Broader Context and Other Clubs

In the same month, Paris Saint-Germain extended their sponsorship arrangement with Visit Rwanda for several more years.

At the same time, Atlético Madrid entered a new agreement for the identical duration that has resulted in the logo being carried on the La Liga side's first-team and women's team jerseys.