The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has called on top European football clubs Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to sever their sponsorship ties with “Visit Rwanda,” citing Rwanda’s alleged role in the ongoing humanitarian crisis in eastern DR Congo.
Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner issued the appeal amid escalating violence in the region, where M23 rebels, reportedly backed by Rwanda, have been engaged in deadly clashes with Congolese troops. The conflict has left nearly 800 bodies in hospital morgues around Goma, DR Congo’s largest city in the east, which is surrounded by lucrative gold, coltan, and tin mines.
In letters addressed to the clubs, Wagner described the sponsorship deals as “blood-stained” and questioned the morality of maintaining partnerships with Rwanda’s tourism initiative. She pointed to a United Nations report suggesting that 4,000 Rwandan troops were active in DR Congo, contributing to human rights violations, including summary executions, the bombing of displacement camps, and widespread sexual violence.
“Thousands are currently trapped in the city of Goma with restricted access to food, water, and security,” Wagner stated in a press release from her ministry on Sunday. “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.”
Rwanda has denied these allegations, asserting that it is acting in self-defense against threats from Congolese forces collaborating with Hutu-led militias. Rwanda argues that some of these militias were involved in the 1994 genocide, in which ethnic Hutus targeted Tutsis, leading to massive displacements into DR Congo.
Congo, however, has dismissed Rwanda’s defense, accusing it of using M23 rebels to exploit the country’s rich mineral resources.
“Visit Rwanda” has been a prominent sponsor of European football, first signing a deal with Arsenal in 2018, with the latest agreement reportedly worth over £10 million ($12.39 million) per year. Bayern Munich entered a five-year partnership with Rwanda in 2023, while PSG has had sponsorship ties with the country since 2019.
Reuters has reached out to the clubs and “Visit Rwanda” for comment.
Meanwhile, British Foreign Minister David Lammy weighed in on the matter, telling Parliament on Tuesday that Rwanda receives over $1 billion in global aid annually, including approximately £32 million in UK assistance. “All of that is under threat when you attack your neighbors,” Lammy warned.
As tensions continue to rise, the pressure mounts on football clubs to reassess their commercial partnerships in light of the worsening humanitarian crisis in DR Congo.
