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Arsenal Football Club has declared that its contentious sponsorship agreement with Visit Rwanda will come to an end in the coming June.

Context and Criticism

The arrangement, estimated to cost around £10m per year, was first established and has since come under fire.

Such scrutiny is due to the country's reported backing for the M23 forces in continuing hostilities in the eastern region of the bordering Congo.

In February, Arsenal faced allegations of committing a disrespectful act to the Congolese government by declining to meet with Congolese diplomat Thérèse Wagner to talk about the deal.

Deal Composition and Aims

Visit Rwanda operates as an arm of the the country's development agency, which is a government department.

Many speculate that Arsenal entered into and continued this partnership mainly to grow their fanbase in Africa.

Nonetheless, the partnership has now terminated after both parties “collectively determined” to end their collaboration.

“Together, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have exceeded the initial objectives of the partnership – promoting conservation and eco-friendly travel, motivating countless fans to visit the nation, and building a solid groundwork for tourism growth,” read an official Arsenal statement.

The statement continued that the partnership has also assisted Rwanda's ambition to become an worldwide athletic destination in Africa and stage additional international competitions while delivering local football projects that have assisted numerous youth athletes and coaches improve their techniques and inspire greater participation in sports throughout the nation.

Management Opinion and Fan Backlash

Richard Garlick, Arsenal's top executive, portrayed the arrangement as a “important voyage” and claimed it had been “propelling” the club's goals.

But that is not how a portion of the Gunners' supporters, with the campaign group Gunners for Peace staging protests 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 “Drop Visit Rwanda” and handed out sleeves to cover up the Rwanda branding on jerseys.

Broader Context and Other Clubs

Around that time, the French champions continued their sponsorship agreement with Visit Rwanda for several more years.

Simultaneously, the Spanish club inked a recent contract for the equivalent timeframe that has caused the branding featured on the La Liga side's first-team and women's team jerseys.