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Arsenal Football Club has officially announced that its disputed sponsorship agreement with Visit Rwanda will terminate in June this upcoming year.

Context and Criticism

This deal, reportedly valued at around ten million pounds each year, was first established and has since faced significant scrutiny.

Such scrutiny arises from Rwanda's alleged support for the M23 rebel group in continuing hostilities in the eastern areas of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In February, Arsenal faced allegations of committing a disrespectful act to the government of the DRC by failing to convene with Congolese diplomat Thérèse Wagner to discuss the partnership.

Agreement Framework and Goals

Visit Rwanda serves as a division of the Rwanda Development Board, which is a public entity.

It is widely believed that Arsenal entered into and upheld this partnership mainly to grow their African supporter base.

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

“Jointly, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have outperformed the original goals of the partnership – supporting environmental protection and responsible tourism, motivating countless fans to discover the country, and building a solid groundwork for tourism growth,” stated an official Arsenal statement.

The announcement added that the partnership has also supported Rwanda's goal of becoming an international sporting hub in Africa and host more global sporting events while executing grassroots football initiatives that have helped hundreds of young players and coaches improve their techniques and promote increased engagement in sport across the country.

Leadership View and Supporter Response

Richard Garlick, Arsenal's top executive, described the partnership as a “major expedition” and claimed it had been “driving forward” the club's goals.

However, this perspective was not shared by a section of Arsenal's fanbase, with the activist organization Gunners Supporting Peace staging protests outside the Emirates Stadium during the first semi-final encounter in Europe's premier competition against Paris Saint-Germain in the end of April.

Activists unveiled a banner that read “Terminate the Visit Rwanda Partnership” and handed out sleeves to hide the partnership emblem on jerseys.

Wider Landscape and Additional Teams

During that period, the French champions extended their sponsorship arrangement with Visit Rwanda for several more years.

Simultaneously, Atlético Madrid entered a new agreement for the same period that has caused the logo being carried on the Madrid-based team's male and female kits.