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The North London club has officially announced that its contentious sponsorship agreement with Visit Rwanda will come to an end in June of next year.

Background and Scrutiny

The partnership, reportedly valued at around £10m per year, was first established and has since come under fire.

The backlash is due to Rwanda's alleged support for the M23 militia in continuing hostilities in the eastern region of the adjacent DRC.

Earlier this year, Arsenal was accused of issuing a severe rebuff to the Congolese government by not arranging a meeting with Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner to address the sponsorship.

Partnership Structure and Objectives

Visit Rwanda operates as a branch of the Rwanda Development Board, which is a public entity.

It is widely believed that Arsenal signed and continued this partnership mainly to grow their African supporter base.

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

“Together, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have exceeded the original goals of the partnership – advocating preservation and responsible tourism, inspiring millions of supporters to discover the country, and building a solid groundwork for visitor increase,” read an Gunners' release.

The announcement added that the partnership has also assisted Rwanda's ambition to become an worldwide athletic destination in Africa and stage additional international competitions while executing local football projects that have supported many aspiring footballers and coaches enhance their abilities and inspire greater participation in athletics nationwide.

Executive Perspective and Fan Reaction

Richard Garlick, Arsenal's chief executive officer, described the partnership as a “significant journey” and claimed it had been “propelling” the club's ambitions.

Yet this view was contested by a portion of the Gunners' supporters, with the protest movement Gunners for Peace holding rallies outside the Emirates Stadium during the initial Champions League semi-final match against PSG in the end of April.

Protesters displayed a placard declaring “Drop Visit Rwanda” and provided wristbands to conceal the Rwanda branding on kits.

Industry Perspective and Fellow Clubs

During that period, Paris Saint-Germain continued their sponsorship agreement with Visit Rwanda through 2028.

Meanwhile, the Madrid-based team entered a new agreement for the same period that has led to the emblem appearing on the Madrid-based team's first-team and women's team jerseys.