Arsenal have announced the end of their eight-year partnership with Visit Rwanda.
The club have announced that they have mutually agreed to end their relationship with the Rwanda Development Board at the end of this season.
The deal, which sees Visit Rwanda become Arsenal’s first official sleeve partner, drew criticism from the club’s fan base. A group of supporters launched a campaign against the deal in April, calling for it to be scrapped ahead of this season.
As part of the campaign, the group unveiled a satirical ‘Visit Tottenham’ sign outside the Emirates Stadium ahead of a home game against Crystal Palace.
In February, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government asked Arsenal to terminate its sponsorship deal after Rwandan-backed rebels seized control of the city of Goma.
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In April, a group of Arsenal supporters launched a campaign against the club’s sponsorship deal with Rwanda, demanding that it be scrapped before next season, and unveiled a satirical “Visit Tottenham” sign outside the Emirates Stadium.
On Wednesday, Arsenal’s LGBTQ+ group Gay Gooners welcomed the decision not to renew their sponsorship deal.
“As a group, we have been displeased with this contract from the beginning and have communicated our intentions to Arsenal through official channels since 2021.
“In a survey of more than 2,500 members around the world in July, only 2% of respondents thought Visit Rwanda’s £10m annual sponsorship should be renewed. 86% wanted to end their contract and find a replacement.
“Some members highlighted Rwanda’s record on LGBT+ human rights.”
In February this year, Arsenal were one of three major European football clubs urged by the government of neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to terminate their sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda.
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In February, the Democratic Republic of Congo asked Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain to end their sponsorship of Visit Rwanda.
In a statement on Wednesday, Arsenal CEO Richard Garlick thanked the Rwanda Development Board for their partnership and noted the achievements the club and board have achieved together.
“Our first sleeve partnership with Visit Rwanda has been an important journey,” Garlick said. “Over the years, we have worked together to raise global awareness of Rwanda’s tourism and conservation efforts and have forged many new connections with supporters across Africa.
“Visit Rwanda’s dedication and support through our partnership has played a key role in advancing our ambitions and helped us invest in our long-term vision of winning major trophies in an economically sustainable way. We are grateful to the Rwanda Development Board for their partnership and the results we have delivered together.”
