Rwanda has characterized the recent remarks made by the foreign minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding its sponsorship agreements with Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Paris St Germain as a potential threat to regional peace and stability.
Earlier this month, DRC’s foreign minister, Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, called on the three clubs to terminate their “blood-stained” sponsorships with “Visit Rwanda,” questioning the ethical implications of such partnerships amid ongoing violence in eastern Congo.
In recent weeks, Rwanda-supported M23 rebels have taken control of significant areas in eastern Congo, marking the most serious escalation in a conflict that has persisted for over a decade, stemming from the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and the competition for Congo’s extensive mineral wealth.
“The Government of Rwanda firmly rejects the Democratic Republic of Congo’s recent attempts to undermine Rwanda’s international partnerships through misinformation and political pressure,” stated the Rwanda Development Board, which manages these sponsorships.
“Such actions not only distort the truth but also jeopardize the foundations of regional peace, stability, and economic collaboration that we have diligently worked to establish.”
The foreign affairs minister of Congo has not yet responded to a request for comment via WhatsApp.
The ongoing conflict in eastern Congo has resulted in numerous human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, attacks on displacement camps, and reports of sexual violence, as noted by the United Nations.
Rwanda asserts that it is acting in self-defense, accusing Congo’s military of collaborating with ethnic Hutu militias that aim to exterminate Tutsis in Congo and pose a threat to Rwanda, where Hutus perpetrated a genocide against Tutsis in 1994, with some fleeing to Congo afterward.
“Visit Rwanda” initiated its sponsorship of Arsenal in 2018, with the most recent agreement reportedly valued at over £10 million ($12 million) annually.
In 2023, Bayern Munich entered into a five-year partnership with Rwanda focused on football development and tourism promotion.
