After the M23 rebels captured Goma, the largest city in eastern the Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 400 people were forced to flee their homes. United Nations experts claim that the Rwandan army is “de facto controlling” M23 operations.
Democratic Republic of Congo’s Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner has urged Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and PSG to end their sponsorship deals with Visit Rwanda and questioned their morality.
She emphasized that Visit Rwanda’s sponsorship could be funded through illegal mining activities in the occupied parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the minerals being transported to Rwanda and exported from there.
She stated that Rwanda’s “culpability” has become undeniable after reports of 4,000 Rwandan troops being active in Congo.
Rwanda’s investments in sports have raised the country’s profile and renewed its global image. However, some media outlets have labeled this as “sportswashing,” suggesting it is a strategy to cover up the country’s darker side.
Visit Rwanda signed a sleeve sponsorship deal with Arsenal in 2018, followed by PSG in 2019 and Bayern Munich in 2023.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has expressed his desire to host a Formula 1 race in the country, and Kigali is set to host the World Road Cycling Championships in September. On Friday, the UCI, the governing body of cycling, confirmed that there are no plans to relocate the event from Rwanda.
There is a global backlash against the Rwandan government, with organizations like Human Rights Watch expressing concern. However, the Rwandan government has rejected the accusations of sportswashing, interpreting the comments as an attempt to tarnish the country’s success.
In the fighting in Goma, at least 700 people have been killed and 2,800 injured. The rebels are now advancing towards Bukavu. The conflict began in 1990 but has gained significant momentum recently.
M23, made up of ethnic Tutsis, claims to be fighting for minority rights, but the DR Congo government accuses the Rwanda-backed rebels of seeking control over the vast mineral resources in the region.