February 3 – The Democratic Republic of Congo has called on Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain to end their “blood stained” sponsorship deals with Visit Rwanda because of the ongoing conflict in the region.
The appeal comes as Rwanda’s notorious M23 rebel group captured Goma, the largest city in eastern DR Congo.
The DR Congo health ministry says there are almost 800 bodies in hospital morgues around Goma following the offensive by M23 rebels into the area which is home to lucrative gold, coltan and tin mines.
The fighting between M23 and Congolese troops has led to a string of human rights violations and DRC foreign minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner wrote to the three clubs questioning the morality of their sponsorship deals.
“Thousands are currently trapped in the city of Goma with restricted access to food, water, and security,” Wagner said in her letter.
“Countless lives have been lost; rape, murder and theft prevail. Your sponsor is directly responsible for this misery. If not for your own consciences, then the clubs should do it (end their sponsorship agreement) for the victims of Rwandan aggression.”
‘Visit Rwanda’ began their sponsorship of Arsenal in 2018, with the latest deal reported to be worth more than £10 million per year.
Bayern Munich signed a five-year football development and tourism promotion partnership with Rwanda in 2023, while ‘Visit Rwanda’ has been a sponsor of PSG since 2019.
The Visit Rwanda campaign has successfully raised the east African country’s profile but Rwanda’s government has been accused of sports washing.
Wagner stated that DRC believes the Rwandan-backed forces had plundered “millions of tons of minerals” taken them back across the border and then sold them into the global market.
“How certain are you that blood mineral cash is not being used to fund your sponsorship deal?” she asked the clubs, none of whom appear to have yet responded publicly.
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